Three Years

Being stuck at home with a kidney stone has put me a bit into depression mode again. I keep trying to remember that it isn't permanent but that doesn't stop my mind from jumping all over the place.

Today is the three year anniversary of the deaths of two people I went to high school with, Jeff Malewig and Blake Denton. They were a year younger than me but I had physics class with both of them. I also worked with Blake at Jewel-Osco, the grocery store at which I was employed during high school. It seems like every single year, the icy roads of Illinois claim the life of someone from Kaneland High School. The holidays are almost a macabre time of year--just waiting to hear who died in a car accident. 

My heart goes out to all of the families who have lost someone--especially someone so young. 

When I look back on my youth, I realize that I haven't always been the kindest person. I haven't always stood up for what I believed in or done the right thing. Sometimes people were nice to me but I felt like I didn't have 'time' to talk to them or maybe I was 'too cool' to be seen hanging around them. You know middle school. These are the moments of my life I regret the most--treating people with disrespect when they certainly don't merit it. For anyone out there who is reading this who might have received ill words for me, I am truly sorry and I wish I could see you now, in person, so I could try to make it up to you somehow. 

I try not to judge people too harshly based on their past. They are who they are now and that's all that matters to me. I also tend to remember myself--those moments I wish I could take back, the friendships I wish I could mend, the people I wish knew how my heart feels. 

Anyway, just think about how you treat every single person you encounter. You never know when it'll be the last day you'll see them alive.