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ENGL101

20 November 2016

The Game of Life

Life in the United States varies from person to person. The United States of America is

one of the most populated countries in the world. As of January, 2016 there was an estimated

322.7 million people living in the United States and its territories (Schlesinger). That is equal to

approximately 4.3% of the world population. Even with an enormous population, it is still safe to

say that no two lives are identical. Life is existence, it is the legacy a person leaves behind, the

absence of death. For some, it may be filled with wealth, and joy; for others poverty and

hardships.

Legacy is what someone leaves behind after retirement or once their life has expired.

National Basketball Association legend and hall a famer Michael J. Jordan also known as MJ, is

an excellent example of a man whose legacy is known across the country by people all ages. One

of his many momentous accomplishments was on June 11, 1997. On that morning he was

diagnosed with influenza and had a high fever that would not break. That night, in game five of

the NBA finals, the Chicago Bulls versus the Utah Jazz, Michael Jordan scored an impressive 38

points (Lazenby). The average person would have ejected himself from the game, but Michael

Jordan is no mere mortal. He stated “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen,

others make it happen” (Jordan). Mr. Jordan is a man that made his life legacy happen.

Existence means being alive, it is an individual’s second to second presence on this earth.

A human has a copious amount of roads he or she can travel down in their life. Sometimes the

road traveled will lead to an existence filled happiness; other times it may lead to misery.
Although a person cannot choose the life they are born into, the possibility would help benefit a

lot of people. In the story of Dave Pelzer a perk such as that would have benefited him

tremendously.

Dave Pelzer was born the son of a neglectful father and an abusive alcoholic mother. As a

child his mother would make games on the ways to abuse him. A few if the games consisted of

Dave eating his own vomit, drinking ammonia, and burning his arm on a gas stove (Pelzer). “A

Child Called it” is the first in a series of books written by Dave Pelzer. He tells his life story

starting with the abuse he suffered as a child and leading up to his success as a man. Resilience

of the human mind and spirit, and its ability to triumph over all, has always been the message

behind the series (Pelzer).

All in all life is cannot be won or lost and it cannot be chosen. The only thing human can

do with his or her life is live it. The way a person serves out their existence will leave a lasting

legacy. That legacy will be known by the few or by many. Wealth, joy, poverty, hardships,

misery or happiness; well that depends on the person.

 Works Cited

Schlesinger, Robert “The Size of the U.S. and the World in 2016” U.S News & World Report.

U.S. News & World Report LP, 05 Jan. 2016. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.

<http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/robert-schlesinger/articles/2016-01-05/us-

population-in-2016-according-to-census-estimates-322-762-018>

Lazenby, Roland. Michael Jordan: The Life. New York: Little, Brown, and Company. 06 May

2014. Print.

Pelzer, David J. A Child Called "it": One Child's Courage to Survive. Deerfield Beach: Health

Communications, 1995. Print.