MiaCain

Ms.Gardner
English10
26January2016
ATriumphantStorybyaCheilitisSurvivor
ChildrenandAdultsareequallypronetoCheilitis(Dr.Oakley).
Iglancedatphotos
below,concernedImyselfmighthaveCheilitisLipcancer,lifethreateningdisease,hereditary
birthdefect?Wellthat's,allwrongCheilitisischappedlips.HereIamasurvivor,tellingmy
storyofhowIundergoedtreatment,witnessedgrossscabs,andamlivingcurrentlywithmy
disease.WhilethatwassimilarlyasexaggeratedasCheilitis,Itaketimetoreflectonthegraceof
lips.Thegiftstheypossessofempoweringustospeakconfidently,smileandconsumefood.So
ashumanslivingwithCheilitisandadaywithamarkedgrave,biteintothesweetestsweetest
peaches,enjoylaughter,smiles,warmtea,readinspiringnovels,speakcharminglyandsavor
Grandmotherscooking.As
Samson
withouthishairwaspowerless,humanswithoutlipsare
also.Thegiftoflipsisaspreciousaslife,sobethankfulthatour
organessentialtospeech
articulations
,blesseduswithsomanypowerfulopportunities(MerriamWebsterDictionary).
Myrelationshipwithlipsbeganassoonasmymouthknewthepoweritheld.Teeth.How
Icouldbite,crunch,crack,andnowhadaverytoothygrin.Theteethingdevicessparked
curiosity.Thebeautyofquestions,answers,anddiscovery.Well,ifthiscoldeightshapedfigure
mademymouthfeelnicehowcouldwoodentoysandSportsIllustrateds.Lipstaughtmethe
scientificmethodpurpose,hypothesis,procedure,resultsandconclusions.Theytaughtmetobe
fearless,tryingnewthingscouldbringsuccessorfailure,butwaitingdidnotgetmetheresultsI

wanted.Mylips
thetwofleshypartspartsthatformtheupperandloweredgesoftheopening
ofthemouth
soonbroughtletters,sounds,vowelsandconsonants(MerriamWebster
Dictionary).MycuriositysoonspreadanotherdimensionIcouldnowaskforwhatIwant
insteadofcry.Thelipsgavemethepowertospeak.Agiftsoprecious.
Avoice,unlockeda
Pandorasbox
forme.Mylipscouldcauseandletoutwordsof
illnessandsufferingorhope.Thepowerofgoodandevil,toswayrightorwrong.Mymouth
taughtmethis,swearwordsmeansoap,YoureameanieMommeanstimeout,yellingmeans
grounding,andstickingyourtongueoutwasasituationalbasedpunishment.Butwhereflowers
wither,seedsgrow.IlearnedIcouldsayyouregorgeousandmakeapersonsday,thatwhenI
saidthePledgeAllegianceIwasntlookingatstripedflagbutgivingthanksforfreedom,
blessings,andsoldiers,thankyous,pleases,andthatIcouldstandupforwhatIbelievedin.
AsIgrewthepowerofmyvoicedidalso.Evenwhenyou'retheVIPandit'syour
birthdayinpreschool,youcantbesassytootherchildren.Icomposedoriginalmasterpiecesmy
veryown,BreakFree,thatunfortunatelyhasnotmadetheBillboard100.Ilearnedthattattling
isaveryeffectivewaytogetpeoplesenttotheoffice.(HelloMattArmstrong.)Thattellingyour
teacheryoudontreallywanttodomath,youjustwanttosharpenpencilsisnottakentoo
happily.IalsolearnedthatscatmeansfecesandhadquiteablastonfieldtripstoPointReyes.I
learnedatsixthgradecamp,thatthewordsBecarefularerarelylistenedtoandIendedupin
theriver.IlearnedthatfriendshipmeansYesIguessyoucanwearmypantsandmyshoes.
Inseventhgrade,IlearnedthatifyousayThisiswhoIlikedonttellanyone,everyonefinds
outandyourcrushavoidsallcontactwithyou.Sowhenembarrassingmoments,orhappyand
sadonesdorememberlipsgaveusthewordsouremotionsfelt,ourheartsdesired,andour

brainscouldnotfathom.Thegiftoflipsisincredible,whilethesounds,wordsandsentenceswe
formmaybeforgottenthewaytheymadeusfeelarenot.Sowhenmanyphilosopherssayits
actionsthatdefinecharacter,it'smostoftenthewordsthatresonatefromtheactions.
SowellhereIam,asurvivorItaketimeagaintothankBurtsBeesahighlyeffective
druginmyrecoverytreatment,andmyfamilyfortheirendlesssupport.Theexaggerationof
Cheilitisseemsirrelevant,howeverlifesimperfectionscauseustoappreciatethegreatest
beauty.Iftherewerenoaphids,whywouldaperfectrosefascinateus?Sowhenchappedlips,
seemterriblereflectontheideathattheymakespeechpossible,foodincredible,andsmiles
conceivable.Thegiftofavoiceisonethatisirreplaceable.Thoughourlipsquiver,sometimes
theyhavethebiggestgutsdaringtoaskforhelpwhentimearerough,expressinggratitudeand
sorrow,andsayingIdo.Thelowestthingwecoulddowiththisgift,isneverspeak.Ireflect
onthatwhileourtimeisshortletoursentencesbelong,ourvoicesloud,andouricecream
lickedwiththepurestjoy.

WorksCited
Lips.
MerriamWebsterDictionary
.2015MerriamWebster.OnlineDictionary.
24January2016.
Oakley,Amanda.AngularCheilitis.
DermNetNZ
.2016DermNetNewZealandTrust.
22December2015.Web.25January2016.