Everyone has a person. A person you run to with every little thing that goes on in your life. A person you are not afraid to be yourself around. A person you can trust with anything and everything. A person you can open up to without the fear of being judged. A person who loves you unconditionally. The list can go on, but like I said every one has a person.

Now for those of you reading this, think of your person. Think of how far they have gotten you in life, everything they have helped you with, and how they have had your back no matter what. After you think of those things, think about what you would do if your person was taken from you. Taken from you so unexpectedly that you did not get the chance to say goodbye or tell them how much you love them.

My person was taken from me.

She was taken so unexpectedly I did not get the chance to tell her how thankful I am for her. I did not get the chance to tell her how much I look up to her. I did not get the chance to thank her for all that she has done for me. And most importantly I did not get the chance to say goodbye and tell her how much I love her.

I am sure my person knows all of these things, but I wish I had the chance to tell her before she was taken. I wish I had the chance to tell her these things to make sure she knew how much she truly means to me.

My person is my cousin Christina. She has been living in heaven for almost eight months now, and even though she is not physically here the bond we have will never fade. Christina and I had an irreplaceable bond, a bond so strong that nothing will ever compare to it.

Ever since I was young my grandparents and parents would tell me that family is the most important thing a person can have in life. They would constantly tell me to cherish the time and moments I spend with those I love because I never know when that time will run out, I never know what tomorrow holds. Now I was always confused as to why they would tell me these things because I thought I would have my entire life to spend time with my loved ones.

I could never seem to understand what they meant when they told me I never know when time will run out because like most I thought I would have all the time in the world, and so would everyone else. I thought I would have all the time in the world to cherish the time and moments I spent with those I love, just like I thought I would have all the time in the world with Christina.

All the time in the world to live our lives together like we have been planning since we were four years old, but I was wrong. And for eight months now the only thing that seems to cross my mind and amaze me is time and moments.

All I can seem to think about is how time is limited and most people do not understand that. All I can think about is how several take time for granted, how they take their loved ones for granted, and how some do not see the importance in cherishing time, and the time spent with the ones they love.

Christina was my other half, we were the same person, and we did almost everything together. I loved her more than anything and for almost eight months now I have struggled with not having our late night talks, daily FaceTime and phone calls. I have struggled with not being able to hear her voice or seeing her smile. I have struggled because I thought I would have all the time in the world to spend with those I love, all the time in the world to cherish those moments, not a short 18 years. And from this accident I have recently learned, and fully understood, why I was always taught at such a young age that no one is promised tomorrow.

Now I am not saying I did not cherish the time I spent with Christina and the time I spend with my loved ones, because trust me I do, I am saying that sometimes I could take time for granted, thinking that I would have time forever. Have time with my family and friends, but as I told you before, I was wrong.

No one has all the time in the world. No one has a lifetime to spend with those they love. And the thing most do not understand is that time is an unknown territory. Time is something that no one can afford to take for granted.

I urge those of you reading this to think about how you spend your time, think about the time you spend with your family, your loved ones. Think about if you cherish that time or take it for granted. Treat the time you spend with those you love like it may be the last, because time is unpredictable and we never know when the clock will run out.