CHALLENGE: Open a Book. Choose a book and open it to a random page and point to a phrase. Use that phrase to get you writing today. Free write for 15-20 without stopping.

“Always laugh when you can. It is the cheapest medicine.”
- 100 Quotations to Make You Think, Wolfgang Riebe

A lot of people never knew how psoriasis effected my life because I am so fun, goofy, and outgoing. I love to laugh and have fun, and that attitude has gotten me through some very hard times.

I remember back in 2007 when my grandfather died… It was one of the hardest times of my life. It happened about 3 weeks before the end of the fall semester, I had test to take and grades to worry about, it was just hard. It also happened the opening week of “Jesus Christ, Superstar” a play I had prepared for many months. Many of the casts makes sent their support, but didn’t expect me to be in the show do to my lost.

Thinking back, I remember coming from practice and the front office calling me down to go see the dean. I just kept thinking “Oh no what have one of my friends done now.” When I arrived there were a few people in the office and they told me to call my uncle. I was still unaware of what was about to be said. My uncle told me, “Alisha, I’m sorry to tell you this… But… Your grandfather has died in a car accident.” I immediately fainted to the floor, blacked out, hoping that when I came back this would just be a bad dream. After the counselor consoled me I went back to my room and cried my eyes out. But I knew I had to get focused because I still had school.

I didn’t tell many people, I was still my old self to most. I timidly laughed with my friends, some of them not knowing what happened. I remember a friend finding out what happened and overheard her say, “Alisha’s grandfather died? It doesn’t seem like anything is wrong with her.” Little did anyone know I was hurt, but I tried to block the pain out in order to finish what I needed to do at school. I even preformed in the play, because I felt that’s what my grandfather would have wanted me to do.

One of the things that got me through that time was laughter and being surrounded by friends until I got home to my family. Sometimes I feel like blocking his death out at that time did more harm though, because 5 years later and I’m still mourning for my lost.

** Day 18 of activist challenge. 30 post in 30 days, using prompts provided by WEGO Health. **