One Last Photo by Taralynn

One Last Photo by Taralynn - June 2017 Scholarship Essay

My grandmother died when I was thirteen. It was Christmas Eve on a cold, rainy day in Keansburg, New Jersey. My grandmother has raised me since I was nine-months-old; she was my mother. Growing up, Gram was the only person who understood me; and I, her. We just got eachother, she was my best friend. We loved having these little photo shoots where I would do her hair and apply fake makeup, then I would photograph her using a toy camera I had. We used to pretend she was a model for Vogue, it was our favorite game. Gram had always admired the classic beauties such as Mary Tyler Moore, Audrey Hepburn, and she loved Elvis. My grandmother loved beautiful people. She honestly told me once that she had voted for Bill Clinton because she "couldn't decide and he was attractive." My grandmother showed me the world through classic films and pictures. We explored everywhere in stories and during our mock photo shoots.
When I was about seven, Gram came home with a little brown paper bag and handed it to me; my first disposable camera. I couldn't express my gratitude more, and that day we went on a walk all through the town taking photos. From that day on, in my family, I was known as the photographer. Because we didn't have a lot of money, once a month I could develop my film and get a new camera. It changed my life so much that I yearned for a real camera. However, they were just too expensive.
The Christmas Eve my grandmother died, I ran. When I saw the EMT trying to revive her I couldn't take it and I ran in the rain to a park she used to take me to.
I sat there for awhile and remembered the day we took pictures there and how she sat on the bench for awhile because I wanted to swing. I remembered all the amazing things she had done for me and I couldn't face the fact that I would never get to say "Merry Christmas" or "Goodmorning" ever again.
The next day on Christmas, a mourning family opened presents. I saw the one present my grandma got for me and couldn't bring myself to open it. I just worked my way around it, ignoring it. Finally, my sister made it known that I had not opened my present from Gram, and then I had to.When I opened my present, I couldn't believe it; my first real camera. With it, came a note that read "I know you've been wanting this my little photographer, and I've been saving so I could give it to you. With love-Gram,"
Ever since that day my love for photography has grown and I think about her everytime I press my shutter. Who would have thought one person can inspire and change your whole life?