I Believe in Living Everyday Like It's Your Last

When I was a young girl, my grandma would always say to me, “Live today like you're going to die tomorrow". At the time, I kind of just laughed it off. I thought I was invincible - nothing could stop me, not even death. I wouldn't say I took life for granted, but I definitely did not appreciate it as much as I should have. That is, until my friend was diagnosed with cancer when I was in 4th grade.

At the time, I was competing on a gymnastics team with girls who were mostly in high school. Because of this, I looked up to many of these girls. Natalie Malone was no exception: she was one of the most beautiful, kind, and genuine girls that I had ever met – I knew that when I grew up, I wanted to be just like her. She was shy and reserved, but once you got beyond that, there was so much beauty and wisdom that she had to offer.

In June 2004, Natalie was diagnosed with leukemia. At the age of 10, I could not truly grasp the idea of Natalie dying. Here was this amazing and successful 17-year-old girl who was suffering from cancer and there was nothing that I, or anyone else, could do about it.

On May 2^nd 2006, Natalie lost the battle against cancer. Although it was obviously hard to lose a friend, teammate, and role model, a lot of wisdom and positive things came from her death. Over the next few years, I spent a lot of time questioning God’s decision to take such a young life. I did not understand why someone so amazing as Natalie deserved to have her life taken away.

Although it was hard watching Natalie suffer with the battle against cancer, it helped me appreciate every moment I had with her. Because I knew that there was always the possibility of death, I valued every interaction with her, knowing it could be our last. Her death showed me how important it is to live life to the fullest and to not take a day for granted. In particular, I now understand the importance of appreciating the valuable time with loved ones.

For the past 5 years, I have been participating on behalf of Natalie on the Relay For Life committee. All proceeds of the fundraiser go towards the American Cancer Society. Even though I can no longer have direct communication with Natalie, I know that this is what she would have wanted me to do: fight for her and to live everyday like there’s no tomorrow.