Sometimes， I wonder what draws the line between merely[仅仅] living and actually being alive. Obviously， they’re nowhere near[差得远] being the same thing. This question has sprung up[出现] several times throughout my life. It happened to come up more frequently as I found myself maturing[成熟] at a much faster pace， along with every single one of my peers[同辈]. As we began to mature， I understood that there were very serious topics that we had taken lightly and， unfortunately， often joked about.
　　It was my junior year注 in high school， there was a kid who was a year younger than me that committed suicide[自杀]. Not long after， a fellow peer that I went to junior high with passed away from a disease called Cystic Fibrosis[囊肿性纤维化]. After hearing the news on one random[任意的]， rainy day at school， I was in utter[全然的] shock all day. I remembered those times I spent with him， both the good and the bad. I began to tear up sometime during school， but I refrained from[忍住，控制] actually crying.
　　有时候，我不知道界定纯粹生存和真正活着的界线是什么。显然，二者是两码事。这个问题在我的人生中出现过几次。当我发现自己和其他同龄人成熟得更加快的时期，这个问题恰巧出现得更加频繁。随着我们开始成熟。我意识到有些严肃的话题，过去都被我们轻视了，而更不幸的是，它们往往被我们用来开玩笑。
　　高中三年级，一个比我小一年的学生自杀了。不久之后，和我同年级的一个同伴因为患了一种叫囊胞性纤维症的病而去世了。某一个雨天，在学校得知这个消息后，我一整天都处于震惊的状态。我想起和他在一起的时光，既有好的也有不好的。在学校里我开始变得心烦意乱，但始终强忍着泪水。
　　I remember crying for long hours when I had someone dear to me pass away. It was my close friend’s father. He was not only a husband and father， but he was the friendly man that everyone wanted to be around at church， as well. He used to joke about me being his daughter-in-law and I joked along. I remember when he and my father used to drink together and both of them had the potential to crack me up[使捧腹大笑]. I loved seeing him make everyone smile. After his unfortunate death， I realized that people could leave without the slightest warning. From then on， I lived everyday in honor of that. After seeing his body in his casket[棺材]， I could swear I saw him smirk[傻笑] a bit. I guess the happiest of people never lose their light. Even till this very day， I feel the warmth of his smile glistening[闪光] upon me.
　　After the recent death of a close relative， I understood that death is inevitable[不可避免的]. It happens to everyone at one point and all in a different manner too. Some deaths are faster than others， and some are by choice， while others are not.
　　Death comes in different forms， but， again， the truth behind it is that death is inevitable. Beyond the idea of what will end up happening to each individual， it’s the fact that we do die. What makes death matter so much？ It’s all about how you live your life. It’s about what you accomplish[完成，实现] or what you can prove. Just like my friend’s dad， my fellow peer， and the student from my school， it’s the impact[影响] you have on the lives of people around you. The legend that lives beyond the death of the person is what truly matters.
　　我记得当我听说一位亲密的人去世时，我哭了很长一段时间。那是我好友的父亲。他不仅是一位丈夫和父亲，还是教堂里每个人都想接近的和善的人。他以前总是开玩笑地把我称作“儿媳妇”，我也跟着一起说笑。我记得他以前和我爸爸一起喝酒，他们总有让我笑翻的能力。我喜欢看到他让每个人发笑。他的不幸离世，令我意识到人可以毫无征兆地离开。自那以后，我每一天都谨记这一点。看到躺在棺材里的他，我可以发誓我看到他依旧脸带笑意。我想最快乐的人永远不会失去他们的光彩。直至今天，我依然可以感受到他的笑容在闪闪发光。
　　在一位近亲最近过世后，我领悟到死亡不可避免。它会在某一个时刻发生在每一个人身上，方式各有不同。有些死亡比其他的快；有些人选择死亡，有些则不是。
　　死亡以不同的形式出现，但再次说明，背后的真理就是死亡不可避免。每个人最后将有怎样的结果，撇开这个想法——事实是我们都会离开。是什么让死亡如此重要？关键在于你是怎样度过你的人生——你的成就或你能证明的事情。就像我朋友的爸爸、我的同伴，还有我学校的那个学生——关键在于你对身边的人造成的影响。超越个人死亡的传奇才是真正重要的东西。