That line from "The Return of the King" has always stuck with me. After all, death is one of the few certainties of life. After hearing about various friends throughout the years who have lost loved ones, I now know the feeling of knowing that I will never get to see someone I was close to. That someone, my grandmother, recently lost a 3-year battle with cancer.

I never thought it would end this way. But this is life, which just means it’s time for the next adventures. As I paid my respects and reminisced on the many memories, there were more than a couple of takeaways I learned from this experience.

The journey isn’t over here; regardless of how much you want to hold onto a moment, you can’t stop time from moving on. And I know very well that she would want me to keep writing my story; she never wanted anybody to allow her health issues to drag us down with her. That’s what I’ve been doing this whole time. The changes that time brings can be scary, but personal growth shouldn’t be. It’s amazing how our qualities are often manifested when tragedies like death in the family occurs. Going forward, I’ll work hard to embrace her various qualities like cheerfulness and promise.

Also, make the most of today. Tomorrow is often taken for granted when it’s far from guaranteed. The future can be full of unexpected twists and turns. This is why I dream like I’ll live forever, but live like I’ll die today. Life can be full of regrets; however, I’ve come under the mindset that you can run away from your past or learn from it.

Lastly, those who spoke at the funeral reminded us that my grandmother was always positive and supportive with everyone in her life. After the burial, one relative reminded me to always remember her in my heart. Therefore, I feel the responsibility to live up to that legacy. And that’s exactly what I will do.