COMMENTS

Dear Johnny,

I appreciate your piece. i wrote about visiting my grandmother too. you have a tendency to describe the physical aspect as to what was happening as well as the emotional one, "I feel as though i need to make her life easier any way possible for that sickness must make her life really difficult. "

my favorite part was when you wrote: "Even though these stories usually take hours i don't mind one bit and actually enjoy them because i cherish the time i have with my grandmother because any day colud be her last." It seems to me you were more happy about having that time with her than hearing/listening to the stories. i know i felt that way about the times i went to visit with my grand mother. Now if this is the same for you, but i appreciate it more because i know she is sick. im happy i went to visit her on so many occasion, i also feel grateful especially now because we know time to quickly becoming more limited.

good piece

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Younger sister, Hadley 16

Arden, Amazing post. This made a million thoughts run through my head. This was very interesting.
I know exactly how you feel, (considering that she is my grandmother as well). I felt as if your writing came from your heart, you were easy to understand and honest with the reader. I absolutly love the last line! Personally i think about that all the time, how your goodbye might actually be your last. great job.Another line that i love is:
"We are all in the same boat, faced with the scary idea of limited living time, talking about death, accepting it I think makes it easier. But that’s just me."
Not only do i agree with you, but this line makes me wonder how people always think about themselves when someone dies, like, what is going to happen in MY future? How will I feel when this person is gone? How will I handle all of this? These questions would/do run through my head too, but no one really stops to think how the person dying may feel about all of this. You did a nice job capturing your thoughts as well as what you think our great grandma is thinking about her time left with us. Once again, great job, very inspiring!!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ben,

Nice post! i enjoyed the way you included so many different sources that we covered from our class. The writing was well done, but a line that really stood out to me from all the others was, "Not to say that they weren't, but there is no way that they could have been as happy as they looked knowing that their old friend was going to die soon. " when i read this i thought about the way we feel when we are around ill and dying people. i felt as though we consistently look for ways to keep ourselves comfortable in the situation. i hear people say "they are going to a better place" or reminders about how its only natural. The ill/dying person seems to do the same.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What a well written, insightful, and heartfelt commentary. You made me think about my own limited lifespan and that of my family around me. Immediately after reading it, I gave my youngest child a hard hug. He pushed me away with "Mommmmmm!" but it didnt phase me. Arden, your essay blog made me pause and reflect. Not an easy thing to do in the hectic lives we all lead.

Janet Pouchot