Loss is a terrible thing. It is unexpected, painful, and it often leaves us with many unanswered questions. We take people for granted, at least I know I do. All the time. We forget what people mean to us until we have to be reminded, often in a painful way. I was reminded two weeks ago when I found out that a fellow peer of mine had passed away. I didn’t know him. But I saw him around all the time. And suddenly it hit me like a slap in the face, because I realized I would never see him again. All of a sudden, this person that I had barely known turned my world upside down, and I was left with feelings of guilt, shock, sadness, and pain. He was my age. At this age, in college, we feel invincible, and we think we are. Maybe he felt invincible, too. But I soon realized that we are all human here, and every breath is a gift, NOT an entitlement. And I have to admit, I forget that every day. I take my life for granted every minute of every day, and I take the relationships I have with other people for granted every day. I forget that tomorrow is a gift. I forget that their tomorrow is an even greater gift. And I forget that none of us are guaranteed an infinite number of those gifts, so it’s important to make the most of them and the most of our relationships with others, because other people’s lives and how they enrich our own are precious gifts- gifts as precious as our own lives. What I’m trying to say is don’t take people for granted. Acknowledge the fact that, whether it’s your life, your best friend’s life, or the life of someone you only see in passing, that life is such a gift and should be treated as such. Live your life with purpose, and let your life fill the lives of those around you, no matter who they are. We don’t get a number of days, but it’s important to make the most of the days we do get. Combine a sense of humility in understanding your days are numbered with a sense of understanding of the value of what has been given to you, you will find that your perspective on life and all that you can do with that gift will totally change, and I hope it does.