Christopher Smith Mr. Molinet English 12/5/2013 Autobiography One major e ent in my li!

e has been something that " ha e ha# #i!!erent points o! ie$ on as time has progresse#. %hen " $as &' $e ha# a house !ire. (his $as a big turning point in my li!e. )e!ore the !ire' " too* pi+tures an# *ept e erything an# truly alue# it. A!ter the !ire' " sa$ ho$ you +an lose something that you treasure so su##enly an# $ithout $arning. "nstea# o! treasuring the things " still ha#' " just sa$ most o! my stu!! as just that ,stu!!.- " $oul# *eep mysel! !rom getting atta+he# to things. As " re!le+t about the !ire an# ho$ " ha e +hange# o er the years' it has a!!e+te# my entire li!e an# as ". e gro$n " ha e gone through #i!!erent phases in my li!e. "t all happene# three #ays into my summer a+ation. (he !amily an# " $as grilling outsi#e an# just enjoying the ni+e summer #ay. " belie e that my brother $as sent into the house to get plates an# that is $hen $e reali/e# the house !ire. " sprinte# to our neighbors to +all 011 sin+e our phone $as insi#e the no$ burning house. " +an remember us $aiting an# $aiting !or the !ire #epartment to sho$ up an# ho$ $e +oul# hear those unmista*able sirens' but it $as #i!!erent this time' they $ere !or us. (he rest is just a blur an# " +an remember bits an# pie+es.

(he !irst stage " $ent through $as ob iously sho+*' an# #isbelie!. (his $as short' but still ha# a resonating e!!e+t on me !or se eral years. My !amily an# " $ere outsi#e grilling an# s$imming' enjoying our !irst +ouple #ays o! summer. My brother ha# gone !or the #oor to go into the house to get plates' an# he noti+e# that the blin#s on one o! the $in#o$s $ere melting. My mom +oul# see !lames an# smo*e +oming out o! another $in#o$' she imme#iately ha# me run to our neighbor to +all 011. "t $as $hat !elt li*e an hour be!ore the !ire #epartment got to us' but "t ha# only been 1 minutes. As $e $ere $aiting' $e $ere all in sho+*' be+ause e erything $e ha#2 pi+tures' heirlooms' +lothes' et+. %e ha# lost e erything that $e hel# +lose to us' along $ith our memories an# other sentimental things. A!ter the !ire $as e3tinguishe#' all that remaine# $ere ashes not e en the !rame o! the house sur i e#. (his $as +rushing to us an# $e starte# to !eel e3treme sorro$ loo*ing at the remains o! $hat ha# on+e been our li es' no$ in ashes. 4or about hal! an hour $e all remaine# silent' just thin*ing about $hat just happene# an# ho$ our li es are going to +hange. (his $as one he+* o! a bummer to our summer. %e !elt that sho+* an# sorro$ !or years an# ne er really got o er it. %e ha# lost our home an# our li es. %e +oul# repla+e our +lothes' but not our memories an# pi+tures. 5o$e er $ithin a +ouple o! months $e !oun# another house' " $oul#n.t say a ,home-' but it might ha e been' i! gi en the time. 5o$e er $e ha# only li e# there !or 3 months an# ha# an ele+tri+al !ire' on+e again losing e erything $e ha# regaine#. (his just a##e# to the problems that $e $ere $or*ing on.

"t has just been in re+ent years that " ha e rea+he# a point' $here " +an thin* about my past an# say that $hat happene# to us $as a trage#y' but in the en# it ma#e our !amily stronger an# +loser than you +an imagine. "n more re+ent years' " +an thin* about it in a goo# $ay an# not be #epresse# thin*ing about $hat $e ha# lost. E en $hile thin*ing o! the !ire " +an smile' be+ause " *no$ that it #i# help strengthen our !amily. " har#ly e er thin* about it these #ays. ".m more +on+erne# $ith li ing li!e in the no$ an# !uture not the past. O erall the t$o house !ires that my !amily su!!ere# through has ma#e us stronger an# +loser to one another. %e are #e!iantly more appre+iati e o! $hat $e ha e no$. " ha e also got o er my #eta+hment issues along $ith other issues that " ha# #ue to the !ires through +ounseling. " thin* that as the years ha e gone by' $e ha e all slo$ly mo e# past all the grie! an# sorro$ $e !elt.