"Life is beautiful."

These are the words that my great-grandfather said after he returned home from the hospital. The day before, he had taken a fall and my entire family worried this was going to be the end for our eldest family member. I can't imagine my childhood without him. He was part of my first memories, visiting him and Grandma, always smiling. I have always held a a great respect for him; he always studied subjects like math and read different books in order to keep his mind intact, he stayed active even as he grew old, and, throughout his entire life, he has been able to keep all of his teeth. Now, after a hundred and one years on Earth, I, along with my family, are facing saying goodbye to our oldest family member.

A couple of days after returning to live with Nana and Papa, my mother's parents, my mother told me that, after talking to Nana, that tests came back from the hospital saying that my great-grandfather has been diagnosed with cancer. It turns out that it's actually normal for someone to be diagnosed with cancer as they are reaching the end of their life. Yet, as my mother was telling me the news, she kept describing how peaceful my grandfather was, how he would look at Nana and ask again and again, "Which side am I on?"

"Which side am I on?"

"Which side am I on?"

As the realization of what my grandfather meant hit me, tears started to well up in my eyes, as the sudden truth came that his time was coming to an end.

In my life, there have been three deaths that had a big impact on me growing up. The first time I heard someone in my life had died, I was six or seven; it was a girl my age. I cried when I found out, not understanding why someone I knew, someone so young, would not be granted the right to grow up. The second time was when I was eleven, when my great-grandmother passed away. It was a shock that at first left me numb, then all of the sudden overwhelmed me with grief. That was when I learned first-hand that everyone is mortal, no one lives forever. The third time was my grandfather, my father's father, dying after a long time battling throat cancer. I mourned him alongside my family, but I ached inside as I wished that I knew him better; I was fifteen.

Now, being told the news that my great-grandfather was going to die soon, I couldn't help but cry. Yes, death is a natural part of life, but it is what all of us are afraid of, because those who have passed on can't tell the living how death or the afterlife is going to be. Yet, with my great-grandfather asking Nana which side he was on, I felt that he was starting to see across the other side. Then my mother told me how he looked at his daughter, Nana, and said, "life is beautiful."

What is life? Life is a million different words that describe the world we live in, the people we see and know, the creatures that run, fly, and swim on our waters and earth, the nature around us, the buildings and streets that our ancestors have built. It's the food we eat, the food we make, pay for. It's the businesses and stores that we see day to day. It's the career paths that all of us choose. Life is everything.

Yet, as my grandfather's words pass through my mind again, I though, "How can he say that life is beautiful? There is crime, violence, prejudice, hate. There is rape, war, terrorism, people that don't have homes, jobs, no food, water, and clothes, that need help, but are ignored by the more fortunate. How can life be beautiful when there is so much evil and hardships in the world?"

Then I thought, my grandfather asked which side he was on and that life is beautiful. Could it be, that due to him nearing the end of his life, he is seeing life through the eyes of God?

Could it be, that through God's eyes, He sees more good over evil?

Lately, it is has been human nature to highlight the bad things that happen in the world. With the presidential election, terrorist attacks, protests, police shootings, all the bad that has happened throughout history around the world. Yet there is more good over evil in God's eyes?

The reason why that is, is because we don't see it enough. But God can.

Yes, there is so much good in the world. People band together to help save others, raise their families, help those in need. We need to keep persevering, to show evil that good always conquers.

Hearing my mother telling me that my great-grandfather said, "life is beautiful," makes me not scared of facing his passing in the future. He is not afraid of what is to come. I believe that when the time comes, he's going to be ready. The news of my great-grandfather teaches me not to be afraid, but to remember to appreciate the simple things that I have: a home to keep me safe, a warm bed to climb into every night, a family, food, running water, clothes. Now, I need think about those who are less fortunate and try to help them, by showing a simple act of kindness.

I believe now that through God's eyes, the good prosper more than the evildoers. There is hate in the world, but there is more love, and love shows that life is indeed, beautiful.