There is one special person in my life; her name is Patricia Ann. Patricia is my grandmother, my mother, and my best friend.

I live with my grandmother due to my mother’s problems. Patricia is 73 years old and has raised 6 children in her life time; her son, two daughters, and her three granddaughters. I am the last and most difficult by far. Raising a teenager at age 73 takes phenomenal strength, a ton of wisdom, and an endless amount of patience. Patricia has undoubtedly more patience than anyone else I have ever met.

Patricia struggles with knowing when to be my mother and when to be my grandmother. She takes on the role of my mother most of the time. When I ask to do something and she gives me an answer, she stands behind her decision. When I misbehave and she says I am grounded, I am grounded; there is no changing her decision. My groundings consist of more work added on to my list of chores for every week, my cellular device being taken away, no activities with friends, and worst of all no set limit for it to end.

Patricia is my best friend in more ways than one. She almost always listens to me when I need to talk, no matter what the situation is. She can tell when something is bothering me the second I walk through the door and waits for me to be ready to talk about it. Patricia may be an elderly woman on the outside, but she has a young spirit within her that shines through to me every day. Patricia is a funny person but knows when humor is appropriate and when seriousness is needed; this quality is what I appreciate most.

If I did not have Patricia AnnI would not be the person I am today. She is more than one person to me: my grandmother, my mother, and my best friend. Nonetheless, I would not want anyone else to fill those shoes than the strong woman named Patricia Ann.