Personal Narrative: How My Dad Changed My Life

I didn’t know heartbreak until June 28, when my dad told me that he had stage 4 cancer. I didn’t know fear until August 13, when I found out that he would have to undergo radiation to combat a tumor in his brain. I didn’t know weariness until August 24, when everyone at school talked about how great their summer had been, and I had to lie and say that mine had been fine. I didn’t know how deep my love for my dad ran until June 29, when I wiped away my tears, stood a little straighter, and vowed to help him find little rays of light in even the worst days. The night I found out about my dad, I couldn’t understand why this was happening to me. At first, all I could think of were moments that he wouldn’t be able to witness. From seeing me graduate college to walking me down the aisle, it felt like I was being hit with a tsunami as I realized that soon, I would have to walk the path of life without my dad. How was it fair that I would have my dad ripped from my life after only 15, 16, or 17 years? I spent so much time feeling bad for myself that I didn’t see just how lucky I really was. While there are people in this world who have never known their parents, I’ve been blessed to know my father for 15 years. Despite the fact that many people in this world take their parents for granted,
When we drive around town and get a milkshake, it means so much more now that I know our time together isn’t limitless. More than anything, I’m finally beginning to see everything my dad does for me—even after chemo, he still cracks a joke. Even when he’s tired and fatigued, he asks how my day was. At the end of the day, it’s a parent’s duty to teach their children important life lessons, and my dad has unintentionally taught me the most important lesson of all. Just by watching him these past couple months, I’ve learned how to handle adversity with grace and to always look on the bright