On the night of August 8, 2010, I was 15 and I watched my dad take his final breath. He died from a compilation of diseases and conditions which were much beyond my control. These diseases included, but were not limited to kidney failure, liver failure, and a weak heart. He was an extremely important […]

The course of my life was changed even before I was born and left me forever wondering where an ordinary life would lead me. The year I was born, a devastating war was raging in the middle of Europe – in my home country called Bosnia. It was the year when death triumphed over life, […]

Most epiphanies begin with a dream, an influential person, a curious story, a life-changing event, a marvelous occurrence—something quite extraordinary. My epiphany, however, began entirely differently. In fact, it started with something common, something outwardly uninspiring, something most people have experienced—something quite ordinary. Indeed, it all started with a summer job. Yes, a summer job. […]

I had just returned home from school, I walked in ever so nonchalantly as I always did and tossed my things onto the floor. I was exhausted. I had just finished taking two final exams, and a quiz for one of my core classes and I was looking forward to a nice quiet evening at […]

Dear Mom and Dad, When I first heard about this essay, I asked for ideas about what to write. You suggested that I write about my struggle with Brain Surgery, Chemotherapy, and Radiation. Or how I reinvented the way I live my life, and how I have been living an adventure that I never would […]