By Elena Fernandez

Life is the most precious gift that God has given each of us. We should live life to the fullest each day. Every day new humans are born on this earth. They are given a fresh start at life. Whether they are adopted or brought home with their parents they can do or become whomever they want.

As children, it is our job to learn from our parents and other adults how to act and treat others. We are taught to respect all life from babies to the elderly. As we grow and mature we learn the value of life and how important it is to choose life. My housekeeper is having a baby in April. She shares her ultrasound pictures with me so I can see how the baby grows month to month. It is an amazing experience.

My mother and father are trying every day to teach me about respect. They tell me that it is necessary to have respect even though we live in a world of always changing thoughts and actions. My parents make sure that the words and terms they use show respect for others. My sister and I are immediately corrected when we use a word that is not nice and that can hurt other people.

Our family also talks about the news that happens every day. If we hear or see something negative we discuss possible outcomes that would change lives for the better. My mom and dad tell us to look for the positive in our lives. Our lives are precious and the more we can learn about the growth of a baby to reflections from an elderly family member, we gather a deeper understanding of the awesome path that we call life. We need to remember that we are all children of God and we all need to be treated with respect and dignity.