Last night, I stood out over the blue Florida waters - wind in my hair, thoughts on my mind - and pondered how special, how important, the sun setting before me truly is.

"It is so important to cherish these beautiful views," I pondered, "Because you never know when it could be your last."

Recently, I lost someone incredibly close to me, and my life has never seemed to go back to normal since (despite how the contrary appears to those around me). Eight months later, and my heart is heavier than ever, longing to share the beauty in the world around with a soul no longer in it. As I watched the sunset, I appreciated it; I cherished it more than I had cherished any other typical Florida sunset in my life.

Because I recognized it, for the first time, as a gift. But this glorious sunset is not just a gift because of its undeniable yellow-orange beauty. It is a gift because it is a sign of hope - hope that everything will be okay in the end, despite the feelings drowning me now. As the sun set over the crashing waves, marking the end of another day, I relished every moment in the day I had just experienced. I thanked God for giving me another day on Earth - from the most simple moments to the most adventurous, from the cup of coffee I had on the couch in the morning to the waterside photoshoot I had with friends in the afternoon. As the sun set, marking an end to the day, I was immensely grateful for every moment I got to live.

And as the sunset encompassed my soul, I allowed it to push me forward, move me into another day. Because that's what it is for - a moment to appreciate the life you lived that day, and a moment to let yourself begin to prepare to thrive the next day. It is hope for a better tomorrow. It is hope for a day of happiness, health, and safety; a day of fun, success, and smiles. When I saw the sunset, with a heart still heavy, I felt at peace.

The sunset gave me flourishing hope; hope that my days will continue to move forward, and I will continue to make those I love proud - even the ones not on Earth; hope that tomorrow will be better than my biggest worries and smallest failures; hope that I am never alone. Something about that typical Florida sunset - it just gives me abundant hope for a better tomorrow, and an intense appreciation for every big and small moment of every single day (past, present, and future) of my life because one of the souls I loved the most is out of Earthly moments, and the sun setting over the water solidified the philosophy weighing on my heart as of late: never take your days, your moments, for granted. Not even a typical Florida sunset.