Written by Daisy Granados, Oxnard College Student
They say that life is beautiful if you know how to properly live it. Sometimes we are able to choose how to live such a fulfilling life, whereas other times, certain circumstances make the choice for you. But in this strange and curious world, there is no script or rules on how to live your life. We live to learn.
I am a single mother of three beautiful kids--ages four, six, and seven. Personally, they are my motivation and inspiration to keep going forward in this world; at this point in my life, however, they are my only motivation. Life has not been easy. The struggle to succeed and find peace and tranquility is something I fight for even today.
My name is Daisy Isabel Granados, and as I write this, I am caught in the middle of having stage four terminal breast cancer. I’m not going to lie, despite having been diagnosed for the past four years, I still get upset when I hear my condition. But I have to remember: it’s just a word, a simple set of letters. I have found that it's okay to be upset about it. It is life, afterall.
Despite these shortcomings, I have accomplished so much in these last four years; heck, still being alive is one of them. I wasn’t meant to make it this far after being diagnosed, but here we are. It has definitely been a rough journey, however, I can say from experience that any obstacle thrown at you will never stop you from becoming who you want to be in this world. I’ve learned throughout these last four years of mine that you become who you want to be. I will say it: life is beautiful. As cliche as it sounds, I live my life everyday like if it was my last. I'm technically supposed to be in hospice right now, being cared for by nurses and as I live out the last of my days following a strict schedule and routine. But I chose not to, I refuse. In my mind, I am not ready to go. I have too many goals I want to achieve, milestones I want to reach, and three little ones I want to care for. If I have to fight and struggle to stay here a little longer, then I say: bring it on.
I am writing this book to send a message to everyone out there; no matter what you are going through in life just remember: life is beautiful and you have the opportunity to be here for as long as you want to. I would also like to point out that tomorrow is never promised. Never take anything for granted. It is important to do the things you’ve always wanted to do like going back to school to further your education. I, myself, am proud to say that I graduate in May of 2021 from Oxnard College. I am majoring in Science Behavioral in Criminology and when fall comes, I will also be graduating from Ventura College and receive my Criminology Certificate. Afterwards, I will go on to pursue my bachelors by transferring to Cal Lutheran University. One of my biggest goals in life is to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
I will say this, going to school is really hard and challenging, but it has been the best four years of my life. I have learned so much and have flourished to see another side of myself, a side filled with maturity and responsibility. Education is important. For the first time in my entire life a lot of great things have happened--from having great professors, counselors that guided me to the right path, the scholarships that helped me gather the materials I needed, and so forth. These are some of the few blessings I have come across with since taking control of my life.
I personally encourage a lot of people to go back to school no matter the age or circumstance; it’s never too late to pursue your dreams or goals. It is also important to go back to school to give yourself the opportunity to learn new skills such as social skills--this knowledge will help you now and later on in life. Oxnard College was my first choice when I decided to go back to school and it has been a good journey. They have helped me so much to prepare me for the world out there. They take the time to make sure you are okay and ask how you are doing with your classes, and the bond that you make with these people is amazing. All of the staff are motivated to help and guide you, unconditionally.
As I mentioned in the beginning, life is beautiful, make something out of it by going back to school, pursuing your dreams and goals, etc. Don’t let any obstacles stop you from doing anything you want to with your life. You can be anything in this world if you put your mind into it. If you want this, you got this.