Why do we take things for granted so often? People, many times, don't notice this until the situation has come and passed them by. There are many people or things that we don't realize the true value of until that person or thing is missing from our lives.

People say, "you don't know what you've got 'til it’s gone." This can be said for many situations that people go through, whether it may be ending a relationship with a significant other or worse, someone passing away. I find it very difficult to wrap my head around. One day a person is in your life, the next, you blink, and they're gone.

When someone passes away, there is truly no preparation. I know some may say there are ways, but I personally don't believe so. No matter how old or young the person was, they were in your life and now they are not. That is a scary concept, but it is even scarier when it is unexpected.

So, are we supposed go about our lives calling every single person we care about and love, telling them how much we care about them and love them, and if something happens we know we didn't take them for granted? No, I don't believe that is the way one should live one's life. So, what we can do is appreciate the people in our lives and the things in our lives before they are taken from us. Yes, something can happen and it can be abrupt and unexpected, but we have no control over that. What we do have control over is appreciating what we have.

Life sort of buzzes by and many of us are distracted and get "caught up." It is difficult to take yourself out of your own distractions, but if you try, you may be very thankful that you did. You may be very thankful that you called that somebody you haven't spoken to in awhile, you may be very thankful that you wished that somebody a happy birthday, or you may be very thankful that you told that somebody you loved them. Whatever the case may be, instead of missing them so immensely once they're gone, let yourself appreciate what you have while they are still in your life.