Yesterday was a sad day for one of my college friends. Her teenage son, who was recently injured in a car accident, passed away after being in the hospital for just over a month. Jared received extremely severe brain injuries as a result of the accident and had been in a coma the entire time. Although we were all hoping and praying that he would make a miraculous recovery, that did not happen. His condition was much worse than originally thought and when he was taken off life support, his body gave up the fight.

Personally, I believe that there is a life after this life we have on earth and so does my friend and her family. Therefore, although this is a sad time, we believe that we will see Jared again in the next life.

I didn’t know Jared personally but, from what I understand, he lived a long life in a short time. He overcame many challenges and lived life to the fullest. He crammed more into his short life than most of us will ever try to do in a longer one.

Sometimes as we get older, we forget to really live life as we did when we were teenagers and younger adults. It’s never too late to regain that joy in living. Each day that you wake up is a gift. Each time you tell your loved one goodbye at the door or on the phone, it could be the last time you see them. Tell them you love them, show them you appreciate them, and give them happy memories to cherish after you’re gone.