It was a normal day when I got the call from Jared, my brother, that our father had been rushed to the hospital. My father had not been in good health for quite some time.

Jared and I met at the hospital, rushed into the building, and went up to our father’s room. To see our father in the shape that he was in was terrible. I knew that he did not have much time left. He had finally awakened, but only to say, “Jared, hand me my chip bag.” After doing so, my father then handed the bag to me, and said, “Ethan, will you open this for me?”

I began to pull on each side of the chip bag to tear the top of it open, but it was like trying to rip a phone book! Anyone could see that it was impossible. I then handed it to Jared to let him try. As I watched him struggle, I saw my father out of the corner of my eye and he was giggling. He then said, “You both take a side of the bag and pull.” I grabbed the other side of the chip bag, and Jared and I gave it a good pull. It finally opened.

As I handed the bag to my father he said to us, “You boys understand why I had you do that? Together you are strong!”

It was a normal day when I got the call from Jared, my brother, that our father had been rushed to the hospital. My father had not been in good health for quite some time.

Jared and I met at the hospital, rushed into the building, and went up to our father’s room. To see our father in the shape that he was in was terrible. I knew that he did not have much time left. He had finally awakened, but only to say, “Jared, hand me my chip bag.” After doing so, my father then handed the bag to me, and said, “Ethan, will you open this for me?”

I began to pull on each side of the chip bag to tear the top of it open, but it was like trying to rip a phone book! Anyone could see that it was impossible. I then handed it to Jared to let him try. As I watched him struggle, I saw my father out of the corner of my eye and he was giggling. He then said, “You both take a side of the bag and pull.” I grabbed the other side of the chip bag, and Jared and I gave it a good pull. It finally opened.

As I handed the bag to my father he said to us, “You boys understand why I had you do that? Together you are strong!”

Art work from: www.umass.edu