a long way gone

i love breaks because i get to do some personal reading. yes, i should be studying for the mcats, but i figured i deserved a little bit of a break today. so i sat down and read for a little over 5 hrs. a long way gone by ishmael beah. a story- or i guess more of a recount- of his life in Sierra Leone and his life as a soldier. it was graphic. it was heartwrenching, but, besides all of that, it reminded me of what i can be thankful for. i dont have to fear for my life every moment. i dont have to fear for my family's life. i have had hardships, but i will never be in a position so tough that i can't remember my senses. where i kill because of instinct. that is frightening. and it is frightening that they enlist children. such as josiah- 7 yrs old- to fight. i can't even imagine something like that. in our nice lives where we are worried about the "silly" things in life. i should be thankful that my friends and family are safe. but besides that. i should remember to always tell them that i love them. because my friends. we never know what the next day holds, whether we live in Sierra Leone or in the United States.