Some days it catches you of guard and you realize you haven’t thought of that person in way too long. That person who was a friend or family member that you don’t get to see anymore. Whether not seeing them is by choice or chosen for you, it is difficult to miss somebody.

When that feeling of missing someone hits you, you can’t seem to feel or think of anything else. Your mind just keeps replaying all of the best memories that you shared with them. That time when they hugged you so hard, you thought you were going to burst from all the love that you felt. Or that time when you were both laughing so hard, you started crying and couldn’t seem to remember what was even so funny in the first place. Then there was that time when you just sat together and talked. Talked about life and what you wanted out of it. Talked about your pasts and how hard some days can be. Talked about how lucky you were to have each other.

When these memories flood your mind, you can’t help but wish that you could see them again. You just want to give them one more hug. Laugh one more time with them and talk with them once again. However, we can’t do that and we’re left with these feelings of loss and happiness because that’s what missing someone is. Feeling a hole in your heart because you can’t be with them anymore, but happy that you were able to have such an amazing person in your life to create those memories with.

So what do we do? Lay in bed all day and mope? Go live our lives and feel bad about not being able to see them anymore? Yes and no. Don’t lay around and mope about something you can’t change. I know it’s hard because some days all I want to do is stay in bed and wallow in the memories of the people I wish were still in my life. But, we can’t do that. We need to live our lives without moping because that doesn’t benefit anyone. One day we will see the people we miss again, but for now we need to focus on the people who are still in our lives. Focus on how great they are and how thankful you are to have them because you never know when you might start missing them too.

So cherish this time with the people in your lives right now and don’t take it for granted. Look at old pictures of the people you miss and think about how great they were, but take new pictures and create new memories because that is what they would want us do. Miss them and never forget them, but be happy and live life like there are a million more memories to be made.