I'll be honest, sometimes I get down on myself. Very down. Upset about something I did or maybe just not happy about a certain situation. But if you ever feel like getting down on yourself or throwing a pity party, let me introduce you to a young man named Zach who I recently met.
Zach is 14 years old, he's been dealing with cancer since the age of 6. Being in and out of the hospital, having needles sticking you in every part of the body, feeling pain as often as we have the urge to eat, is just a normal day. Zach isn't even able to go to school because he's so sick. If I haven't convinced you yet that your life shouldn't be taken for granted, have I mentioned the part that Zach was told during the first week of October that he has six weeks to live...just take that in for a minute. 14 years old, not old enough to drive, hasn't gone to High School yet, heck he hasn't even had a chance to be a kid. Yet, I met this brave young man, and I can't even begin to tell you how much I looked up to him. All my problems that I thought exisisted, didn't. I have nothing to complain about ever. He's starting death right in the eyes and hasn't blinked. He told me he's tired of fighting, it's too hard. Yet, that's what he's been doing practically his entire life. Fighting. Fighting for his life, fighting for a second chance, and fighting for any opportunity just to be a regular 14 year old kid.
Funny, how we can look at our lives and think we've been given a raw deal in something. Just spend 5 minutes with Zach and you'll realize life is the only thing he wants. Not a car, or a raise, or a girlfriend. Just the chance to live, breathe, and enjoy life without a time limit on how much longer he may be alive.