I hear people say all the time how they are grateful and blessed for the life they live and how they don't take anything for granted. Are they really grateful? Do they really not take anything for granted? I used to say the same, yet there I was still taking things for granted. Not until I experienced coma did I really start to understand what it means to be blessed to live the life I was given.

We all expect to live until we are 90 years old, but the truth is, we aren't even guaranteed tomorrow. Before I was comatose at 18 years old, I thought I was invincible, that nothing could stop me. I thought I could be reckless and careless and I could just wake up the next day. Even though I did wake up, I was hooked up to many machines and I didn't know what happened or where I was. Later I found out the tube that was down my throat was helping me breathe.

I don't remember much about the night before or anything while I was in my coma, except it being dark. All I saw was black. I could have just let what I saw go, but I didn't. I knew I needed to change. I needed to be more grateful and I needed a better relationship with God. Yes, I was a Christian and I went to church but I realized that wasn't enough. The next time I would close my eyes like that, whether it be when I am 90 years old or sooner, I don't want to see black again. I want to see God standing before me, so I can thank Him for allowing me to wake up when I was 18 and being able to truly experience what it means to live life to the fullest.

After waking up, I spent the following day analyzing what I saw or didn't see during my time in my coma. I knew that if I would have died that day, I would have been upset with how I spent my time here. I didn't do much, I was mean to some and I allowed others to influence me. I refused to jump back into all of that again. I was given another chance, and I wanted to do something great, even if it was just doing exactly what I wanted. God has a purpose for me here. He has bigger plans for me than dying at 18. I still don't know what those plans are, and I'm not sure I will find out any time soon, but I do know while I figure out his reasoning, I will be living life to the fullest. I am young, I am going to travel. I am going to spread kindness everywhere. I am going to be a teacher, and help change the world by teaching little minds to be great. I am going to do things I never dreamed I could. I am going to be my own person and drop all negativity. I am going to wake up everyday thanking God for a new day and a fresh start, and try to be a better person than I was the day before.

I'm telling you, from my personal experience, that we don't get to pick and choose the date in which we want to go home to God. We are not aren't guaranteed tomorrow, anytime could be our time to leave. If you died tomorrow would you be satisfied with the life you lived? If not, change today.