my story

Helena Adkins Adkins 1
ENG 0990
Mr. Walter
5 July 2014

Not Knowing What You Have Till Its Gone

My life changing experience happened when I was around the age of twelve. I had seen my two year old cousin Claudia come home with the police, Then a few weeks later all four of my cousins, Tyler, Tiara, Claudia, and Desiray were taken away by social services. When this happened my whole view of life was now percieved in a whole different point of view.

The day my cousin Claudia was brought home by the police was the start of it all. It was around the six pm in the afternoon when their was a knock on the front door. My aunt who lived with us then told me to answer it, So I did as I was told and answered it. I opened the door to flashlights blinding me. I then realized it was the police. They asked me if we were missing any small children. I called all the children lining them up one by one and realized Claudia was missing. I yelled "Oh My Gosh, Claudia is Missing!" The Police Officer asked, "Ma'am, What was this child wearing and what does she look like?" I reply "She was wearing a blue and brown jacket with blue jeans and Tennis shoes. She is only two years old, has dirty blonde hair that is cut short, and has a speech impediment. The officers stepped outside and brought our missing child back inside. I say "thats her" and began to cry while my aunt gave the police all the information they needed for this incident.

This was only the beginning of this horrible nightmare. A few weeks later my aunt had moved out with all her kids. I was relieved to have them gone because all they did was destroy my stuff and ruin my life. I was happy and had a good month or two of freedom then got "The Call." My mother answered the phone and told me it was my aunt. I waited patiently to know what was going on. When my mother hung up the phone she looked at me with tears in her eyes and said "your four cousins Tyler, Tiara, Claudia, and Desiray were taken away by social services today." I was absolutely shocked and tears started pouring from my eyes. I had no words to say, all I could do was cry. This was something I thought would never happen. I began to blame my self for it, I told my refection I hated it and that it was all you fault. I cried myself to sleep every night for the past three or four weeks.

A few months later, Their socila worker gave us a call and aloud us to visit them. My family and I went to visit them at the McDonalds on Clark in Cleveland, Ohio. When I seen them agian i began to cry. I was greatful I was able to see them agian, I had missed them so much. They all came and gave me big hugs to comfort me. I played with them, took tons of pictures with them, and spent as much time with them as I could before they had to leave. The hardest part was saying goodbye agian. Whatching them get into that big white van nearly killed me.I waved goodbye with a smile on my face so nobody felt the pain I was feeling then. I hid my feelings from everyone because I hated people see me cry. That night I cried the most. I continued to visit them as much as I could till there were no more visits. I missed them so much, I should not had taken them for regret.

I think this experience has made the most impact in my life. Before experiencing this nightmare i had seen the world as a miserable place where I always got introuble for other peoples mistakes. I regreted so many people. This experience changed my whole perspective on life. I now see the world as a happy place where things do go wrong but there is always going to be a way to change things and fix them. I should be happy for who I have in my life . I while never regret knowing someone because everybody teaches me different life lessons. I will be greatful for what and most importantly who I have in my life because you never know what you have till its gone.