Life and Death

Someone once asked, “Why do we have to die?” The response given was - “so that we would realize how precious life is today”. It’s interesting, because sometimes it takes for us to be confronted with death to remind us to slow down, to listen more, or to change our ways.

The first impacted of this line of thinking came into my life at the age of thirteen. Sadly, I watched my robust father become a man I didn’t recognize.

Lung cancer took him too soon.

I’ll never forget walking into the hospital to view his body. As I leaned over to kiss him one last time a tear dropped from my wet eyes and landed on his. I imaged that the tear that rolled down his check was one that he cried for us all. That moment impacted my life greatly. I remember thinking as I pulled away - to never take life for granted and to live each day as if it was my last. I can recall countless times growing up when I would reflect on my fathers death, especially in times of difficulty. His death inspired me to live - and pushed me to work through adversity and rise above. No matter what is going on in my life, even today - it always comes back to life and its importance.

As most of you know, I recently lost my beloved dog Kayla. She was a kind, loyal, and a loving dog - and is greatly missed. Before she died, I was able to sit and comfort her. I took her on a few short walks, and was there when she passed away. Burying her was a mixer of life’s emotions. It was difficult, yet healing.



These are two pivotal moments, past and resent, that have helped shape me into the woman I am today. I would say my father past on his bravery, and Kayla gave me structure. Simply -they gave me life.

You don’t have to loose a loved one or a “best-friend” to gain a deeper reasoning of life for yourself. As morbid as it may sound, death is all around us. It is not to be feared - but understood. It is after all the one thing we all have in common. Take a moment and think about the hundreds of people who died on 9/11 or the lives lost in the earth quake in Haiti earlier this year. It is heart braking. We all stopped, even if it is for a brief moment, and breathed deeply and quietly. Do you remember what you thought? How you felt?

For those of us who are here today - we have the power to make a difference not only in our own lives but for those all around us. From a loved one to a stranger on the street, it is our duty to make a positive impact and truly leave the world a better place.

I encourage you today to “be the change you want to see in the world”. Be brave to take a stand in your own life and be compassionate to those who are in greater need than yourself.

Life, as we know it - “is a blink of the eye.”