An Unexpected Loss

Last night our friend’s brother, Abdu, died in a car crash.  He was in his 20’s, back from war and had a preschooler daughter.  I didn’t know him very well, just met him a handful of times, but he was a good guy, easy going and ready for the future.  He wanted to be a firefighter.

Beyond the shock, there’s the unfairness of it all.  Why does a good guy die so young and old bastards get to live until they’re 91?

Whenever I’m feeling hopeless or powerless I usually remind myself about a basic reality:  Each of us here on Earth is on a suicide mission because no one makes it out alive.  That’s why during times like these I do a gut check:  Am I truly living the life I want as my legacy?  Am I prioritizing my family?  Giving back to society?  Making a difference?  If God forbid I died three minutes from now will I have the knowledge that nothing was held back and my regrets were few and far between?

Even if you feel good about your life, pull your loved ones close and tell them how much they mean to you.  You can never say ‘I love you’ too often.  Stand up for what you believe in, even it costs you something.  If you don’t like something – your job, your weight, your relationships – take the necessary, and sometimes difficult, steps to change your situation.

If you are still living, count it as a blessing and live your life to the fullest.  If not for yourself, then for a 20-something soldier and father who died last night.

Lisa

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