Last year in September, someone dear to us was told that she had stage 3 cancer; we were devastated. Cancer was something I would always push to the back of my mind since it never pertained to me or anyone I knew. I would never have imagined anyone in my family with cancer, but it became a reality.
Yeah, I was scared. I felt like there was nothing I could do because there was no way I could help. I am not a doctor and I don't know the cure for cancer. I am just a kid. Then my mom helped me realize that I actually could help. My family member needed support, and when she needed my family and me to be there, we were.
I was dealing with the emotions. I was thinking this wasn't happening; this doesn't happen to people like her. She is healthy and she eats healthy, too. But it does. Realizing this was hard to accept. Then my mom told me, "Andre, remember that we are only here for so long, so make the most of it." When she said that, I felt like she was giving up, but my mom was determined that our loved one would be okay.
While I was freaking out, imagine how our family member was taking this in.
What my mom said affected me; I am only here for a while, so I should make the most of my life. That doesn't mean I should do whatever I want and have fun all the time. I need to make the most of living my life, the way God wants me to live it. We waste so much time on pointless things that we forget we have a mission we are meant to accomplish. Time is ticking and there is no stopping it. If we mess up now, how can we be satisfied with ourselves?
It's now or never; so make a difference in the world today. We need to stay focused on what needs to be done instead of what we feel like doing. We should not waste much time now, for we may not have the same opportunity to cooperate with God later. It is in giving to others that we are truly satisfied.
It has been a year since my loved one was diagnosed with cancer. We prayed for her and supported her through her treatment, and now she is better. I am so happy that she is doing better and has returned to work.I learned through this experience that making the most of your life is vital. Time is passing and I do not want to waste a minute of it.
Thank you, Andre, for sharing what you learned.
God is at work, in each one of us.
