I PLAN on LIVING FOREVER

"It does. So why bring it up?" The man replied.

"Well, um, I was just thinking about it lately I guess."

"You're young, healthy and have an artistic talent that should take you very far. You're also incredibly smart and have a pretty good head on your shoulders. There's no reason to think about that."

"I wasn't thinking about me. It's just that, well, forget it. Let's just watch the game."

The silence between them is awkward. After a couple of minutes the father realizes that the boy is crying. Then he understands. "You're worried about me, is that it?"

"Uh huh" The boy nods his head.

"Son, we've talked about this. MS isn't fatal. I'm not going to die from it. Also have you noticed that I'm doing better than I have in a long time? The doc says there isn't any reason why I can't stay this way for a long time. I'm okay."

"But each time you get one of those, what do you call them?"

"episodes"

"Yeah, every time you get one of those episodes it takes you a long time to get back to normal. And each time it takes longer than the time before. Even you said that one day you'll get to a point where you're not going to bounce back."

"That's all true, it's something I have to live with every day."

"You ain't the only one, you know!" The son interrupted.

The man paused and studied his son for a moment. It's easy to get engrossed in how the illness has affected him. There's no way around it since he's the one who has it. What he forgets from time to time is that while he may be the one afflicted with it, he's not the only one affected by it.

"Son, I realize that and I know you love me and want to see me healthy. I do too! That's why I've been getting back to working out and taking better care of myself. Not just for me but because I want to be around when you graduate college and when you have your first art show and everything that happens along the way. So don't worry about me, okay? In fact I'm going to need your help. Because I plan on living forever."

The boy has stopped crying and his voice takes on an almost incredulous tone. "How do you plan on doing that?"

"Through you and your brothers."

"Dad, I think you're watching too many sci-fi movies."

The man laughed. "I'm not talking about taking over your bodies. But if you can take what I've been trying to teach you and show you, even half of it, and you can use that in your life. If you can make your life the best life possible, if you can be happy and understand, or at the very least try to, what I tell you then I will live on through you. And if someday you're as blessed and lucky as I am to come across a boy that has a ton of love to give and needs a father and you teach him and help him, then my legacy is set and I will live forever. For that matter, so will you."

"You really think I'm that great?" The boy asks almost warily.

"I know it. You're my son, aren't you?"

"I am." His voice now sounding more confident.

"Then you're not only great you're excellent!" The father says. "So are you going to help me live forever?"

"I think I can do that!"

"Good, let's start by watching the ball game, okay?"

"You got it, dad!" The tears are gone as is the frown and all that remains is an excited boy watching the game with the luckiest father in the world.