When I was 7 years old my best friend contracted Encephalistis (spelling?). He was in a coma for 62 days. His Mother and mine were also best friends. So my mother spent most of those 62 days at the hospital with her friend, my friends Mother. This was a terrible time for her but myself and my two older sisters felt abandoned, scared and alone. Then when he passed away my Mom really fell apart and was not really there for us, because she was so sad. I was so little, I think she thought I would be more scared to hear about how sad and horrible everyone felt and how much it scared her about her own kids dying that she just got passed it and thought I did as well. Years went by but I never really came to grips with my feeling about death and dying. Last year I wrote and essay for English that my teach found so moving and kind of scary she contacted my parents about it. We finally got to discuss how I was not really handling it and was confused and scared. I went to see a therapist, one that my Mother searched and researched for months and he helped us all. My friend dying changed me, in many ways but mostly I have never had that feeling of invincibility that most of my friends have had, or that many still do have. It has made me more cautious and it made me grow up quickly. Maybe too quickly in some regards. It took away a certain childish view of life but in the end I believe it has made me more mature, more careful yet more able to see how precious life is and how short it can be so live every moment to its fullest.