This sad story of Jay Hendrickson is both memorable, touching, and inspiring.

Jay is just a young boy when he finished his treatment for osteosarcoma, a common form of bone cancer in children. His family grasped for his recovery – hoping that he will get well forever. He was just 11 that time, but inside of him is an already matured man. When he talks, meaningful words come out in his mouth; words of determination and bravery to survive his fight. Unfortunately, the cancer came back and weakened his already frail body which eventually took his life.

One day, Jay’s mother found a poem in his journal.  She recognized that is was made by her son as it is signed by him.  It reads:

“Life is like a day, the sun goes up, then down, and I figure, life is like that, you go up, and you go down; don’t give up though, for you’ll make it. Remember, sun up, sun down.”

During his burial, his family made his poem the final prayer and his epitaph. It will serve as a reminder to everyone, to keep striving for life is short.

Source: www.star-telegram.com

“You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die or when. You can only decide how you’re going to live. Now.” - Joan Baez, renowned singer and songwriterLife’s journey on earth is as uncanny as the fog at sea. We transit in this very peculiar land where no one can avoid death.

It is man’s nature to live a good life. This is the reason why people are struggling to achieve good financial status, but one problem to this goal is we forget that life also has different aspects - that we often concentrate on wealth. Preparing our future is inevitable but we need to remember our liability to other people in ways of sharing what we have.

A couple of months ago, I encountered this question: “What will do in your last days?” I didn’t know how to answer; I even didn’t know what to do first!

I was really afraid to answer. I told myself that I’m not yet prepared. Eventually, I realized that the most important task to do is to bring to the next life the memories with my loved ones.

How about you? What will you do with your last days?

In reality, we can’t choose whether we will be born to a rich or poor family. We can’t predict who are parents will be. We can’t say what the color of our eyes or shape of our nose is. However, we can change our status from poor to wealthy; we can love our unlovable parents; we can even do anything to our own body just because we have the power, will and wisdom to make things in this world.

As what Former U.S. Senator Robert F. Bennett would like to say it:

“Your life is the sum result of all the choices you make, both consciously and unconsciously. If you can control the process of choosing, you can take control of all aspects of your life. You can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of yourself.”

Keep in mind that we can never see the future nor predict, but we can manipulate our fate by our choices.