Life is often defined as a period of excitement or activity. Where is the deep thought in that definition? Life isn’t really defined or thought about deeply until a person has an important event that changes their lives. Until recently it hadn’t hit me to think about life and what my priorities are.

It was the summer going into my senior year of high school. I loved every moment going on during that summer. Every day was an adventure with everything I was doing. I would sleep in late, which was great, then go to football practice workouts. After getting some rest from all that, I would go hang with friends the rest of the night; and the next day would most likely be the same schedule. However, one day was not as cheerful as the previous days.

It started out as any other gorgeous day, the sun shining and the birds chirping. I woke up later than anyone in my family as normal during the summer. I knew everyone was somewhere, and I was the only one at the house for a while. My brother and sister were at a day camp where they could run around, play with friends, and have a great time. My dad was at the house for a while before he left because he was released from his job a few months back and was still trying to find one. He was kind of feeling sick, which started towards the beginning of summer, he had a doctor’s appointment that wasn’t until later that afternoon. My mom was working at the church early that morning and was planning on meeting my dad at the doctor’s office.

I made myself some breakfast and got ready to go to football workouts. I got to the weight room and like I have said before it was like any other day. I walked into practice with a great attitude, laughing, smiling, and cracking jokes with my buddies. But once coach was ready to go it were the hardest few hours that I had been through. Near the end I it didn’t matter, I broke a great sweat and I still was enjoying everything that was going on in my life.
When I returned home I realized, still no one was home. So, I took my shower and made something to eat. I made the usual lunch for that summer, two boxes of macaroni and cheeses and two turkeys, cheese, and hot sauce sandwiches. Once I was done making lunch I took the feast downstairs and set up my room for a movie watching frenzy. I put “The Patriot” in the DVD player and turned out the lights. After setting up my movie I sat down on the couch, hit play and began to feast.
About halfway into the movie my mom came home and seemed to be distressed about something. She frantically came down the stairs into my room bawling her eyes out. I had never seen my mother this upset before, so I knew that something big was wrong. I paused the movie and just stopped everything I was doing.
I asked, “What’s going on mom?”
She replied drowning in tears, “It’s Dad. We just got back from the doctor and…”
She was so sad that she couldn’t even finish what she was saying. It was a little disturbing to see my mother like this.
Then she said, “He has cancer, John.”
My eyes grew about three sizes at that moment. I couldn’t believe what was told to me. Helplessly, I tried to deny it, but eventually I had to come to terms with the truth. It felt like the whole world just came to a dead stop and reality kicked in. Once the news sunk in I started to shed tears and when that happened my dad walked in. I went over and hugged him for at least ten minutes we both wept in each other’s arms. I knew after that life would never be the same for my family, but it was time for me to grow up and help take charge while my dad was sick. I sat in my room after all the grief, and thought about life and what it really means; for defining life Webster Dictionary’s definition is way off or is it.
Once news such as a relative or any loved one passing, many things start rushing through your mind. Such as: all the times you spent with them, the one time you went to Disneyworld, when you pulled an all nighter, and a great deal more. There is one question I grantee that each person thinks about when an event like this happens, “Did he or she live a good life” is that question. You sit there thinking and thinking trying to put it all together, but you’ll never really know since you didn’t live their life, you were only a part of it. Then it brings up the question what makes a good life? You look at everyone’s life and judge their life to see if it was good. When you do that then you start comparing to all the others you have seen before. But every time you do that it’s still hard to tell makes a good life. Some people think if you make money and you are successful in life that is a great life. Others say if you are a good hearted person that helps everyone they could or laugh and smile everyday, that’s a good life. I think a good life just depends on the situation, faith and mentality of the family or individual. I believe that if you: love your love ones, help people in need, try at everything you do, you’ve lived a good life. My dad has done that and much more so he has lived an incredible life. Hest ought me so much and I love every minute had has spent with me. So remember that question when something like this happens to you for it is an important topic. Even think about it now for if you are not pleased with the way your life is now change it. There is always time to change your life. Now, think about it what makes a life for you?