It's been 7 years, but it still hurts like yesterday. The words that cannot ever be removed from my mind still ring through my head. The face of the man I look up to most staring back at me full of sadness and grief burned into my memory likely for the rest of my life. When someone you love is taken by cancer, time stops for you, but the rest of the world keeps going.

It's been 7 years and the void in my heart is still there. I do my best to live my life in a way that you did. I have basically centered my career around you. You helped so many __ and I go out of my way to do the same so I can feel closer to you. It helps sometimes.

It's been 7 years and the holidays are still the hardest times. In my mind, there is always an empty spot at the Thanksgiving table for you and a section of presents missing under the tree that should be for you. You always made the holidays brighter. The shine that followed you everywhere is missing now.

It's been 7 years and not a day goes by where I don't think about you. The bad days are hard because I know that you would have the perfect thing to say to help me get through. Even so, you always find a way to let me know you are still there, a penny in my car, in the hall, or my chair in class. The good days are sometimes harder because I know how proud you'd be and I miss that smile more than anything.

It's been 7 years and time hasn't stopped. I got older and so did everyone else. Others have joined you in whatever is beyond this. Some have come into this world since you left and man, would you love them. There is no stopping the rest of the world because you left, but sometimes I wish it did. Better yet I wish I could rewind to 8 years ago today. I have no idea what I was doing on that day or what you were doing on that day, but you were here.

It's been 7 years and I wish I could have one more day. One more conversation. I know this will never go away, but I feel like it has only grown stronger. I wish we could just talk about whatever again - about friends, life, school, hell I would talk about the weather or why roaming black holes exist and the science behind it if I had the chance.

It's been 7 years and I still have yet to find someone who gives me a hug the way you did. The warmth that radiated from you is something that cannot be replicated. I miss that more than anything.

It's been 7 years and I just want you to know that regardless of time there is a piece of me that will never be able to fully let go. There are so much more things that I could say but it won't take this hurt away.