We are all but mere mortals. No truer has that sentiment been to me than the last few days, when I lost a classmate and friend to a terrible accident. It is the most surreal, and unreal, experience I have ever known. To know someone you knew, and so full of life, is gone from this earth. I have dealt with death in the past, and accepted that it is a part of life, but you never expect someone so young to meet the same fate. Or rather, I never expected it to hit so close to home. It really makes you think about life, and how fragile it is; one minute it’s there, and the next, it is gone. At times like this, I almost wish I was a religious man, able to console myself knowing (or having faith) that they have gone to a better place; a place of eternal peace.

From my point of view, we only get one shot at things down here, so make the most of it. And I don’t mean live fast and die young, but rather, cherish the moments you have with family and friends, and don’t let trivial issues in life bother you so much. Appreciate what you have, and be thankful. Death should not rule your life though, and you should not live in fear of it, otherwise life may pass you by.