Dear Death,

It's amazing how many times you cross my mind. The first time you graced me with your presence was at the tender age of five years old. I will never forget that day and even though I was very young, I could still remember it clearly. I walked into the living room and saw my mother crying.

I didn't know what was going on, and with my innocent mind I said to my mother, "Big girls don't cry."

Little did I know my grandmother died that day, the one that kept our family intact. With her gone, my mother's side of the family destroyed themselves with greed and eventually split apart. Even though I didn't know it, I learned something that day. Even the strong have to cry sometimes too.

It was years later when I came across you again. I was still a child and yet you came and took another family member from me. I came home from school and yet, I knew something was immediately wrong. My mother smiled at me, but it wasn't her usual smile. It was a sad one, regretful almost.

I guess I always knew that my father was going to die. He did have terminal cancer after all. I just didn't know it was going to be so soon. I still remember her tears when she told me, and how I had to force myself to cry when I first heard the news. Even at the age of eleven, I still knew that I would never be able to see him again or hear his voice. He would never go to my wedding or attend my quinceanera, which he promised he would do so many years ago.

I used to cry before I went to sleep because I didn't want to be left alone. First my grandmother, now my father. I knew that my mother and my sister were going to die as well, but I didn't know when. I didn't want to live in fear and anxiety. I was afraid of you. When you would strike back.

But now, I'm not that girl anymore. I'm not afraid. I realized that you don't want to cause pain, you just need to get the job done. Complete the cycle of life.

Everyone fears you and hates you for taking away their loved ones. I should hate you too, you took my dad before I was even a teen. But I don't. I've learned to embrace death. I don't know when you'll come, but I know that when you do, I'll be ready.

Death is only a natural part of life and it would be stupid to try and go against it. When I die, I'll see my father and my grandmother. So even though I don't want to die right now, I'll be okay when my time comes.

This isn't a goodbye Death. It's a see you soon because I'm certain I will come across you again.

Everyone does at least once in their life.