Wild, absolutely wild. Borderline insane according to some. Ben was the friend one would call for a memorable night. His liveliness was infectious, sometimes confusing, considering his circumstances. When I received word of his passing Monday night, I was in disbelief. Immediately my mind began reminiscing on all the fond memories I had of him. Picturing him in high school, when he would wear suits to school, spending New Year's Eve with him and staying up all night talking about our dreams, and the many games of Border Patrol we played in together. Then I thought even deeper. At 19 years old, life appears to be invigorating. One feels invincible and bold, excited for the future.

"Legacies have not been made at 19", I thought. When young people die, the world is denied their potential greatness, which is quite tragic. As a college student, I would like to believe that I am on the right path for a successful future. However, nobody is guaranteed a future. But perhaps our legacies do not have to be left over the course of a career or the development of a family, or for the degrees we obtain. Perhaps our legacies are being left right now. Perhaps it is not our destination that determines our worth, but who we are this very minute. What are we doing right now to live a fulfilling life? Often in our world, people wake up, go to work, come home to their responsibilities, then wake up and repeat it all over again the next day. Lots of these people are miserable. Is this the future many of us look forward to? While preparing for the future is important, so is embracing the present, since we are only certain of the time that is now.

Ben's life was short lived, yet full of zeal and exploration. The many plans we had talked about will never become a reality for him, and sadly neither will it for lots of us who like to dream. The world loses so many people before they fulfill their purposes. With this, I am proposing a challenge to all of us. I challenge us all to decide what to live for in this current moment and to do that. Life is much too short to wait around. The time is now. As for Ben, his wild, unique spirit will live on and I thank you for leaving your legacy, in me.