By Nadia Jeffries
May 6, 2018 was one of the hardest days of my life. That day, my great aunt, who goes by Aunt Poopie, had died. She had died from stage 4 pancreatic cancer. That day did not get any better for me because she died the day before my 20th birthday.
My Aunt Poopie was not just an aunt to me. She was a friend, a caregiver, not to mention, she was everyone’s aunt and even as a second mother to some. She was always such a welcoming individual—just about anyone was welcome into her home. She went through a lot, but that never changed her as a woman. Man, she was an awesome cook! She added her own twist to everything, and there weren’t any leftovers because she made sure you had enough. She had a beautiful voice. She would sing so loud around the house, and you really could not stop her. More importantly, she gave to others, even when she didn’t have much herself. While she was sick, she had come home from Texas for spring break. At the time, I was in Booneville, and my cousin called and asked if I was coming home for spring break. I told her and Aunt Poopie I wouldn’t be able to because I wanted to catch up on some work.
I regret not going home to see her, because I thought I would still have time. What’s important is that she is not hurting or suffering anymore. God needed her more than some of us on earth did. To whoever may read this, the goal is to not make anyone sad or cry but to ensure you that life is short. God makes no mistakes. We all have to go one day, so if you know you can cherish someone while they’re still here, please do so.