hw 52 third of the book

this part of the book was the saddest part. In this final part the author spoke about how families regret the things they said and did to family members but by the time they realized it, it was too late. The story about the father and his little daughter was tough because he would always tell her things like, "its bad enough you are a girl but you don't have to be dumb too." Saying this to a 4 year old is unaccceptable. He hated the fact that he had a daughter because as a working man he wanted to get his whole family involved in working but with a girl as a child it was one less person helping. She was killed by a car and it was tough because she was so badly hurt that she was bald because surgeons had to perform surgery. It didn't work. She died and the father couldn't control himself. He went so far as to going to her grave and digging her up with his hands but he couldnt because there were too many rocks. He regrets the way he treated her and by the time he realized that she was a beautiful young girl who wanted to be loved, she was already dead. He then says, "I would do anything to get her back." This is something that happens a lot where we treat people bad until they are gone and we feel like crap for treating them the ways we did. It is true that you don't know what you have until its gone.

Reading this made me sad because I thought back to the things I said to people and the things I wish I had said. Like my neighbor who was 21 and passed away a day after new years 2011. Me and him were so different yet I looked at him like he was a big brother. We would hang out and he was scary to me at first but I realized that he was a good kid and he just grew up not knowing better. We had really cool times and he made me laugh and when he passed away I was so shocked because its like you see this person one day and the next they are laying motionless on a hospital bed. Its so surreal. The one thing I regret was not paying my final respects to him and I feel really bad because he was a really great guy who literally gave me so much wisdom and guidance in the time I was living here. He was like my guide and for him to leave I was angry. I wish I could have been at his funeral and said one last thing to him but I didn't and I feel terrible about that. I had a dream about him the other night and he looked happy he told me he was okay and I believed him. I told him what I had to say and then I woke up. I felt so weird and I felt like he was listening. I plan on making a trip to see him someday soon at his grave. Its just so sad when things like this happen because it makes me feel bad. It makes me feel like I betrayed him by not being there.