The fact that this past week could have ended in a funeral instead of a peaceful family dinner is absolutely horrifying. After having the flu for about a week, my dad seemed to be unable to shake the tiredness and lack of appetite for another week, something that never usually happened when he got the flu. Upon returning to the doctor, he was told he needed to go to the hospital. At the hospital, my dad found out he had a 90 percent blocked artery. Now, I’m no expert, but 90 percent is only 10 percent away from having a fully blocked artery, meaning I was 10 percent away from possibly losing my dad. Some may call it luck that the blockage was found just in time, but I’m a firm believer in blessings.

For some, their situation does not end happily. For some, they find themselves mourning a loved one they wished they had more time with. Because of this, I’m here to give a friendly reminder that we all must appreciate those that surround us as much as possible. We must make sure the people that have raised us and the people that have helped raise us up and find ourselves know that they are important to us. This may sound cheesy, but it’s completely true.

Regret is strong enough to tear someone apart, and no one wants to part with a loved one when they are full of regret, so tell your parents you love them, tell your friends they’re really important to you, give your mom a hand when she needs it, and choose a night in with your grandparents instead of a night out at a party once in a while. Time spent with those that matter most are much more special than drunk nights filled with strangers and enough alcohol to make you forget what you did.

I know that doing this isn’t always easy and that there have been plenty of times where we don’t tell our loved ones just how much they mean to us. We’re all imperfect, but part of what family and friends love about us are our imperfections. So go ahead and tell your family they’re pretty cool, I’ll be over here watching the Food Network with my dad.