There are certain scenes from literature that are very memorable because of their tension, humor, and sadness.  These scenes can have a better understanding of the work as a whole and provide insight into ones own life.  The book entitled The Gift, by Danielle Steel, is a story about the hopes and dreams of a family shattered.  Tommy, who is the main character, lost all his faith and hopes when his little 5 years old sister died of a disease called meningitis.  Her death had affected his life both physically and emotionally.  In this specific scene he falls apart, but also learns the value of love, strength, and courage to help move on with his life.

    The scene in which Tommy's sister dies is very emotional and sad.  It made him lose all his faith and hopes that his life was worth living.  She was the only one who he could talk to.  She seemed to know exactly who and what was on his mind, and always gave her opinion on it.  Especially, if it had to do something with a girl.  Every time he would take her ice skating, they would always bump into a girl that Tommy liked, and Annie would always tell him whether or not she was pretty or intelligent.  It was a way of showing him how much she cared for him, and when she was taken away from him he didn't feel that he could continue living his life without her being in it.

    The tension and sadness of this scene is so memorable because it is some what similar to the experience I had of my own.  His feelings towards life itself was nothing after he had lost his sister.  Unfortunately, I felt the same way at a point when I lost my father.  Instead of letting go, I wanted to keep holding on to him without wanting to face the truth.  I thought it would make things better, but I then realized that I was living a lie.  So, I decided that if I couldn't be with him, my life wasn't worth living for, and just as Tommy did, I blamed it on myself.

    As I continued reading the scene, I had a better understanding of why Tommy felt exactly the way I did when I was younger.  It's only natural to feel a certain way when someone so close to you is gone from the rest of your life.  The certain bond you've shared with them may seem like its drifting away little by little, but deep inside you don't realize that it will always stay within yourself and close to your heart.  Until one day that special person sends a special gift down to you to cherish for the rest of your life.  In my case, it was my niece and nephew, and in Tommy's case it was a precious baby girl that gave him the strength to move on with his life and fulfill his dreams.

    The memorable scene in The Gift, in which Tommy's sister dies, has helped me emphasize more on the value of life itself.  It has encouraged me to fulfill my goals with a better understanding of what I am to be expected of the world.  This book has given me the extra strength I needed to achieve my dreams.  It has taught me about the unpredictability and the wonders of life.