fragile lives

Today, I found out that a girl I went to high school with, Jennifer, has passed away, due to a long battle with cancer. And she was the same age as many of my friends and the people I went to high school with. She died May 6th of this year. Somehow the small problems of my day seem to all drift away at the thought of this.

I never knew her personally, I only knew her face from seeing her in the hallways, and hearing her name called by friends. Maybe our lives are more fragile and valuable than we think. Maybe we just aught to treat each day as a valuable treasure. One that is kept close and held dear. But most of all, a treasure that is to be shared with others. In close and supportive community.

Sometimes, I wonder why life is cut short. Like a switch. Sometimes without warning. And sometimes death awaits us, as we anticipate its knock on our door. As my family is currently experiencing with my grandfather... waiting...wondering when the day will be.

Maybe its times like these where we just aught to stop...sit...and be thankful for our lives. To take a deep breath. Not to fear death, but just to realize that with each passing day comes another chance to grow, experience, and breath. Maybe, this is what life is about.

As Jenn was my age, this is a sobering thought. So, here I will sit and think about her fragile and valuable life. And everything else melts away...