“Life is a roller coaster.” While this may be immensely cliché, it is an immensely accurate representation. Throughout all the trials and tribulation we experience, there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel. Keeping that hope alive is one of the most important things a person can do. There is no one more qualified to speak on that topic than the late, great Steve Jobs. In 2004, Jobs was diagnosed with cancer. He was not expected to survive. However, through advances in medicine, he was able to eradicate the cancer, at least temporarily. At the 2005 Stanford commencement ceremony, Jobs gave a speech about how his cancer changed how he viewed and valued life. He said that now he realizes how silly it is to be afraid of taking risks. …show more content…
It shows that life is our most precious gift. That, as Amanda Ripley wrote about, it is impossible to place a monetary value on life. We, as a people, are more than a series of digits. We have emotions, experiences, passions, that cannot be replaced by anything tangible. These feelings are what make us unique, rather than autonomous. In “The Essential Man,” Roger Ebert, who lost his greatest gift, shared the same new view on life as Jobs. It shows that, when life decides to throw a punch, the best thing to do is punch back.
I agree, wholeheartedly, with these men’s views on life. Although I am only eighteen years of age, I have been subjected to situations that allow a person to better understand just how great a gift life can be. On November 6th, 2013, my father, John Henry, was killed in a car accident. I will not pretend like we shared this great connection, as I never knew him. Yet, his passing left me with great emotional distress. Simply knowing that my father was no longer on Earth was enough to bring me down to earth, perhaps even further. Following that experience, I learned to appreciate life in a new way, ways I never could before.
Steve Jobs did a fantastic job during the 2005 commencement speech. He was able to impart his wisdom onto younger generations, and inspire those who may be in a dark time. Remember, life is a roller coaster. When it goes down, it will always eventually come back