You only live once

Most of us are blessed to wake up another day not realizing yesterday could've been our last day here on Earth. I'm not saying that there's a chance you are going to die everyday, it's just that you don't know what could've happened until it happens. For example, I sometimes walk about half a mile to my home at night, there's been plenty of times where gangbangers pass by and throw gang signs at me...

One day, they did more than that, it was  November 9, 2009 a bright cloudy day, when i decided to walk my dog before I headed to class, I had enough time before my spanish class started and the day was pretty nice so  I decided to walk my dog because he looked kind of bored.

I usually walk him for about a mile or so but that day I did not want to be late so I decided to walk him around the block, once I turned into my block this white van pulled up and told me to throw the fork down, I looked at them and payed no mind and kept on walking, they told me the same thing. I was having a good day and I wasn't going to let some low life's mess it up for me..so I kept on walking.

I heard the guy say to the guy behind him.."Pass me the strap" (which means gun)

I stood frozen and didn't know what to do for some reason. A lot of thoughts came across my mind and family and friends as well... I guess that's where I realized that it wasn't my time yet so once I was about to run, the guy screamed again at his friend and said "pass me the strap"...

I saw the front right passenger reach for something from the back and once he turned to me, my legs began to run the opposite direction from they were going.

I have never ran so fast in my life before, I was actually running faster than my dog at a point.

I didn't want to look back but instead just run so fast where if they did shoot, they would not have an accurate shot because I was too far so that's what I did, now that i think about it, i should've ran in a zig zag kind of motion but that was not on my mind at the moment. 

At the end, I hid on a block away from my block for about 10 minutes and tried to call the police but I had left my cell phone at home..

I waited til the coast was clear and ran like crazy to my house and once I was in there, i just laid in my couch trying to catch my breath...

All and all, I could've been killed, at the same time, I could've not. But I wasn't going to stand there and be on the news declaring that gangs claimed yet another life in the south-side of Chicago. 

Now I live my life to the fullest and try to make my friends realize that you don't have to be in a near life and death experience to appreciate what you have.

I let them know that you only live once to stay with a jerk that is making your life miserable, you only live life once and should hug your parents everyday, you only live once so make the most out of your life and become someone successful. I am doing things I only dreamed about doing and own stuff that I thought would never be possible for me. I appreciate life more and try my best to make sure that my loved ones being close family and friends are doing so as well. In a way I'm glad that happened because I had God and my dog with me by my side. So don't just waste your life and let each day pass you by. You can be doing something great with your life but sometimes we take life and God for granted as well and that is what everyday I'm trying not to do.