It’s a life-changing moment that leaves us all empty minded, re-evaluating the things that we cherish most in life. You know – our families, friendships, or the sheer fact that we opened our eyes this morning.
I simply wonder, what will tomorrow bring? For tomorrow is never promised. I simply don’t take a single moment for granted any longer. I’ve learned to love, feel, and live profoundly.
Why?
Nothing lasts forever because tomorrow is never granted. Tomorrow is only a hope that we all wish to have.
Sometimes that hope becomes a tragedy. That tragedy does not come in the most convenient time; it can strike us at any given moment. Sometimes it does strike us and hits us with such a force that, for a second, makes us paralyzed. A friendship severed; a loved one gone; seconds can change everything. While loss can strike a feeling we’ve never felt before, we can’t let it define ourselves.
I am definitely no stranger to tragedy; it has touched me immensely before. Like all, I’ve experienced pain, failure, heartbreak, and loss. The biggest tragedy could be loosing a family member, a close childhood friend, a sorority sister, or fraternity brother. The good surely do not deserve to die young. I definitely didn’t know the feeling of loosing someone until now at 20-years-old. And I never thought that would be the case.
No matter how prepared or unprepared we are, losing someone dear to you is one of the hardest things to endure.
Yet, here I am – still smiling.
I simply smile for having the chance to have met such unique souls. I had the opportunity to take chances, take photographs, and make memories with the ones I love the most.
The saying goes: “People say you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Truth is, you knew exactly what you had, you just never thought you’d lose it.”
Our problem is simple, we take things for granted and when we do, everything that surrounds us experiences a downward spiral. Before we know it, the relationship that we cherished to our greatest ability is gone. And how do we react?
How else – petrified.
The last thing you say to someone; you certainly don’t think it’s going to be the last. You never expect to hear the tragedy of someone you loved and cherished dearly. It’s nearly impossible for us, as humans, to grasp and understand the terrifying acceptance of death.
You instantly look back to the last conversation you had with that person and every memory, every conversation, immediately floods your brain.
Did I tell them, “I love you?” What about goodbye? I never had the chance to say, "goodbye."
There is no word in the dictionary that can explain the pain left by such a loss; nor is there a right or wrong way to deal with the pain left by such a loss.
Knowing that things can change in the blink of an eye, I’ve learned to love more and forgive often. When difficult moments arrive at your doorstep, unexpectedly, the best thing you can do is do your best to accept what has happened.
We must seize the day; cherish everyone we meet; hug our friends and family; overuse I love you, and never give up hope for another tomorrow.
“Never forget yesterday, but live for today, because you never know what tomorrow can bring, or what it can take away.”
