I have heard people refer to marriage, divorce, and adoption, as “just a piece of paper, it is what is in someone’s heart that matters.” True. But that “piece of paper” makes a difference should a loved one be hospitalized. If another person is legally your significant other’s spouse, they can prohibit you from seeing them and making decisions regarding their well being. The same holds true for a child’s medical care. If you aren’t their parent or legal guardian, you don’t have a say so in what happens to them. It doesn’t matter if you have been living with a person, supporting them, or what they call you. If you don’t have that “piece of paper” you could find yourself without a voice. It could cost you a lot of time, aggravation, and money, but if you care for them and want to be able to make decisions should things go wrong, get it done. And in a tough situation, people need their loved ones by their side. Not a stranger or someone who may have ill intentions.