PIONEER WITH A WINNING ATTITUDE
The poster on my wall with the soft tail Harley Davidson, reads; Dream as if you’ll live forever, Live as if you’ll die today! Even though I do not even own a motorcycle. I loved the quote so I bought the poster, I have wanted so many times to find a better poster and I have not been able to find one that could replace this one poster.
Just the other day my grandpa was excited about something I would have never thought of. He said, “Son don’t take anything for granted, today, I could hear the sound of gravel under my shoes in the driveway, I had missed that a lot.” After months of being stubborn he had just bought a hearing aid.
I am grateful for my health, family, friends, school and all the blessings around. I began this journey called life in 1991 in Raleigh, North Carolina, my parents tell me even at age three, I pretended to be a news anchor. I am now a freshman at the very best school for Journalism, American University, Washington DC.
I am going to finish college with best grades and a shining resume, I will get a great job offer and I will continue to get my masters and PHD. I love learning, college life, and even the struggles I have to overcome. I have so much to look forward to. I am going to be published in national and international newspapers and magazines. I consider each day as another step to accomplishment of my goals and dreams. I think that is what I like on the first portion of the quote: “Live as if you’ll die today” says on the poster. This has always given me a sense of urgency. Well, if I am really told I have a short while to live, will I play the cards I am dealt? Absolutely positively NOT.
I will start an exhaustive research, I will study every similar case, I will learn more than the doctors, it would be fun to correct them. I once read a good measure of success is determined by the number of lives that you can touch. Rhio Oconner an American hero was able to beat the odds, he was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, a rare and deadly cancer. He was given months to live but through his intensive research, he developed a therapeutic protocol. With optimism, belief in a higher power, and extraordinary intellectual efforts he managed to survive for years. He formulated a regimen of over 100 supplements, mind, and body practices, to help him overcome. But best of all he wrote an inspirational book titled ; They Said Months I Chose Years, to reminds us that there may be ways to beat cancer, outside chemo and radiation.
I learned that conventional chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery with painful side effects is not the only alternative but many overcome cancer through holistic, herbal, nutrition, and exercise. To be a survivor I will be determined to follow exemplary lives of survivors. We live in the era known as the information technology. There is no lack of ideas and information. I am to formulate and utilize the information. As noted I would want to touch as many lives as I possibly could. I believe I will write a book titled “ We overcome by choice”. I will then be published as I survive. I think I will buy a soft tail Harley Davidson with the proceeds.
Lance Armstrong is an international icon; he survived a stage three case of cancer the tumors had spread to his lungs, and even brain. Not only he defeated the illness but he returned to cycling and won in both 1999, and 2000, Toure De France (2274 mile) competition he returned to cycling again last year and took third place. It has been reported that he is training aggressively for the 2010 Tour De France. Yet, I believe his greatest victory is bringing hope to thousands.
My life experiences and my research for this essay once and again proves that as the old saying goes, “If you believe you can, you can. If you believe you can’t, your are right.” The good news is we are in charge , we are indeed the master of our very own destiny.
“Dream as if I will live forever”, is the other part of my slogan. Rhio left us his legacy, teaching us how one can tackle the most dreadful obstacle. He completed his journey with publishing They Said Months, I said Years. Additionally, with providing a college scholarship he reminds us not to take life for granted and to dream as if I will live forever and live as if I will die today.
By: Kassraie, Aaron
