This I Believe Essay for Senior Comp...

                                      Don’t Just be Alive—Live

You have probably heard the Latin term Carpe Diem.  It means to seize the day.  To some this phrase is overused.  However, I have lived a life that has removed any cliché from this saying.  I believe that everyone should live everyday and every moment to the fullest.

            When I was 22 years old, I went to stay with my grandpa for a week.  He was sick and one of my uncles called me: “Feel like a road trip?”  It was only one week of my Christmas break.  “Sure,” I said, “I haven’t seen Grandpa forever!”

            My grandpa had skin cancer and had recently undergone chemotherapy.  He was also in the process of receiving dialysis treatments for his failed liver.  I helped my grandpa do the most basic chores that I took for granted.  I helped him to and from the bathroom as he was too weak to sit down or stand up from the toilet.  It tortured me to see someone I loved this much struggle to get through daily routines in his life. 

            My grandpa would have moments of extreme clarity where he would talk about some of his greatest memories.  He would tell me stories about my dad when he was growing up.  He told me about meeting his wife, my grandma, who had already passed away.  Regardless of the pain he was in, he still smiled when he told me these stories.  These were the memories that made getting up each day worth it for my grandpa.  He had lived a full life. 

My grandpa died just months later at the age of 86.  Going to the funeral was difficult for me having had recently spent time with him, but I would never give up that week of my life.

            My grandpa’s funeral was not the first family funeral I had to endure.  My mom was just 36 when she passed away.  This moment in my life is a little more difficult to discuss.  Her death was not as foreseeable as my grandpa’s was.  She had an undiagnosed heart murmur and had died suddenly on her way home from work one Saturday morning.  I was just 14.  I learned two important truths from having gone through these losses.

            First, these two situations showed me the frailty of life.  My Grandpa lived a full life.  He lived a life full of passion.  His death was painful, but the positive memories he had made the end sufferable.  My mom, on the other hand, didn’t live a full life; however, I know she enjoyed each and every day.  I have great memories of spending time with my mom, but it seems to me the most vivid memories are more images and sounds.  I can still hear her laughter…an uprising, melodic sound that could take place at any moment.  Also, I can still see her lips begin to curve as she would be on the brink of a smile.  I see the lines forming next to her dark almond colored eyes due to her having given in to that smile.

            Secondly, these two events showed me how important it is to hold onto each moment.  I don’t want to let minor disappointments ruin any part of my day.  My mom died before she should have, but she loved life.  She lived life.  She took joy in each moment.  That is what I learned from my mom and my grandpa.  They both took joy in what time they had.  I know this from my grandpa’s last poignant memories, and I know this from the memories and images I have of my mother. 

            Do not take life for granted.  Do not take tomorrow for granted.  Live everyday and every moment for all it’s worth.  Cherish it.  I have seen first hand that we are not guaranteed a tomorrow.  So don’t put all your hope in the future. 

            We may live a full life and have incredible experiences, or we may die tomorrow.  So make the most of today.  Make the most of the next hour.  Make the most of this minute.  Go to school and have a desire to learn.  Let the knowledge enrich your life.  Learn for the experience and not the grade.  Go to work and enjoy the company of the people you work with.  Joke with them and laugh with them.  Help them find the joy in living for the moment.

            Enjoy what you’re doing no matter what it is you’re doing.  Sing a song to yourself just because you enjoy music…no matter if there are other people around.  Smile at a complete stranger as you would a best friend.  Laugh at your own clumsiness.  Let people call you weird.  You are weird because you embrace the now and can laugh regardless of the situation.

            We all endure tragic moments and moments of complete joy alike.  Enjoy each moment for what it is and the experience and knowledge it gives you.  The only true tragedy there is in life is regret.  So live a life that will remove any possibility of regret.  I believe that is a life truly worth living.