no guarantees

I am back from CA and will post pictures from the trip soon. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed being back in one of our favorite places. Unfortunately, while I was gone, a tragic car crash took place in Dallas, killing 3 high school girls. I have had the opportunity to work very closely with the high school these three young girls attended, and in fact, one of them participated in the job shadow events I managed this Fall. As I read the newspaper article, I couldn't help but cry and hurt for their families and friends. I was taken back to the day I found out about my friend Jeff, who died our junior year of high school. It came as a complete shock to all of us and it felt as though we'd never get over the pain. Going to school wouldn't be the same without Jeff--he was part of the group--and it would be hard to sit in Spanish class without having Jeff there to tell jokes. I went to a small, Christian school, and had known Jeff since 1st grade; we were all like a family and when we lost him we had no choice but to lean on each other. It was one of the hardest things I've had to deal with, but I came to appreciate life in a way I never had before (at age 17) and try to remind myself daily that there are no guarantees in life.

I know the students at Adamson High School that have lost their friends have so many questions; I feel for them for what they are going through at this moment in time. When you are 15 years old, you think you have the rest of your life ahead of you; you are focused on trying to get through high school, making friends and trying to make good decisions. I hope and pray for these students--I pray they will find peace and comfort someway, somehow and hope they can move forward after going through such a tragic event.

I don't want to be a downer, this was just on my mind and I wanted to send my readers a reminder to live life to the fullest and make sure the people in your life know how you feel about them. Life give us no guarantees, just a chance to live the best we can.