1. Death taught me life is precious.

You do not realize how precious a life is until it is gone. You can no longer create memories, go on adventures, have dinner dates, cry on their shoulder, or even laugh with them anymore. You think back to all of the memories you have and it breaks your heart. You thought you had forever, but you do not.

2. Death taught me to be nice, even to those who hurt you.

Imagine you tell someone something out of anger, then something happens to them. You are going to feel terrible, and wish you never said what you did. Guess what? You can NOT take it back. You said what you said, and now they are gone. Which is exactly why you should be nice, even to those who hurt you.

3. Death taught me to appreciate the small things.

When someone you love dies, nobody is going to ask about the awards. Nobody is going to ask about graduation or your promotion. The things that you keep close to you, are the way they said certain words or phrases. The way they smiled and laughed. How they would leave their shoes laying around and empty cups on the dining room table. These little memories and flashbacks will leave you on your knees. The smallest things mean the most.

4. Death taught me to never judge someone.

The world we live in is so diverse. You will meet people from all walks of life. You will meet someone with a different race, ethnicity, religion, language, and even perspectives. Just because they have an opinion, that you may not agree with, it does not make them wrong. One could say the sky is pink, and you could say the sky is blue. However, that does not make them wrong. It does not make them "stupid." Instead of judging them based on their view, why not try to understand their point of view? If one believes in Christianity and another believes in Buddhism, that is okay. Wouldn't you rather want to try to understand a different point of view before you judge someone?

5. Death taught me popularity does not matter.

You could be the most popular kid in school, but it doesn't matter. At the end of the day, you are not going to be counting how many friends you have. You will not be counting how many times someone greeted you. At the end of the day, you are going to think of the lives you touched and the nice things you did. Being true to yourself and loving one another will mean more to you than popularity ever will.

6. Death taught me it is OK to lean on others.

Sometimes we just need to cry it all out. We need someone to be there, to listen. You do not have to be strong all the time. If you need a shoulder to cry on, it's OK. If you need to scream, it's OK. If you need a hug, it's OK.

7. Death taught me it does not discriminate.

Someone may cross your path and touch your life in ways you never thought possible. Others may look at you and know they found their person. Some may bring a smile to your face or maybe even bring tears to your eyes. Death does not care whether your loved one was a good person or a bad person.

8. Death taught me to look at the world differently.

You wake up every morning and hope you do not receive the unwanted phone call. You live life like there is no tomorrow. You are kind because you know what it is like to lose those you have loved.