I remember my first day with my grandmother.

My grandmother was a quiet and loving person and she was always taking care of her family. I started staying with her in 2012 when I was doing grade 10. She was 82 years old at the time. She enjoyed sitting outside at night; this was the one thing we had in common.

It was the middle of the night, we were sitting outside staring at the star-decorated night sky. She looked so emotional that day. The happiness I felt was flowing through my blood. I didn’t want to stop listening to all her stories. But then she stopped looking at the sky, faced me, and said.
“Mtanomtanami, indlela ibuzwa kwabaphambili,” (I am not educated but I know how to survive in life).

“Usho ukathini Gogo?”

“Mtanami, life is knowing how to react to any challenges and what you make of them. The universe can tell you everything you need to know, but only if you notice the things around you.”

This was true, I thought, because we believe in different things and live in different ways but we all get exactly what we plant.

I woke up early the next morning to prepare to go to a new school, but my grandmother was not feeling well.

I went to her bedroom to say goodbye but I was too late, her soul had already left.

I looked at the sky hoping maybe she would wake up. The time we spent together was too short.

I did not know my first day with my grandmother would be my last as well.