This past week, I experienced heartbreak, and not even over a situation that involved me. A couple of days ago, the son of my parents' very close friends from college passed away in a car accident. I was in the room when my mom got the news. I watched my mom's fists clench and her heart sink. As tears rolled down her face she said, "I was there when they named him...how could this possibly happen."

My heart broke.

My heart broke for my mom, for his family, and for him.

As I did know him when I was younger, I felt a deep ache in my heart. How could the world do this to his parents? He was their only child.

After lots of thought and contemplation, I thought maybe this is a wonderful time to reflect on my life, his life, their lives and the world that is working each and every day surrounding me. Sadly, sometimes these tragic things have to happen on this planet to think more deeply and appreciate how lucky we truly are.

Why I think life is precious...

Why do you think our time here is important?

It is an interesting concept to truly understand that we only have one life to live, so how will we live it?

I believe that we all are put here for a reason. I'm not sure for what, how, and why, but I know for a reason and a purpose. It is crazy that we have so many questions about how, but at the end of the day, we will never know. So it comes down to living the best day, the best week, and the best moments that you choose to live.

Life is precious because we are given each day as a chance.

We have the freedom to completely live as we want, dream endless amounts of dreams and love the people we want to love. We are able to do all of this because we have another day.

We are given each and every day to prove to the world that we are here for a reason. We are smart, youthful, encouraging, and feel like we can make a difference.

It can be hard to show love sometimes. After being around the same family and same group of people for several years it can be so easy to feel comfortable and stop sharing your appreciation for their love.

Sometimes, peoples' journeys will end before yours, and what would you do if you felt you lacked telling them how much you truly appreciated and loved them? We are put in this life to share our love, to share our lives, and to be vulnerable. What else are we waiting for?

How beautiful is it that we are always moving forward? I feel so lucky that I am on a planet where we are constantly becoming greater, constantly improving and always have a chance to move on, move forward, and try new things.

Gratitude can truly change a person's day. How magical is that? By complimenting one another, encouraging each other, and thanking one and another, we could change someone's day.

Inclusion is so important here. Think about this...could you imagine being on this earth alone? Impossible. So why do we spend so much time as humans making people feel alone, judged, and sad? We have no right to not include, not help, or ignore others. This is our one life to meet as many people as possible and to learn the incredible gifts others have and what they have to offer us.

Life is precious...what are you going to do about it?