LIFE

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“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is life, fight for it.” 

-Mother Theresa-

I have decided that there is nothing that can make your day immediately sad more than seeing an animal on the side of the road. I know that is something awful and harsh to write about, but today I experienced something awful and harsh. I was taking the train home, when all of a sudden I heard the train horn, the sound of something heavy smashing, breaking, and just a combination of every horrible and frightening cacophonous sound you could think of. We had hit a deer. And didn't even stop. 

It made me feel horrible and dirty as a human being, and I wanted to cry - even more so when I realized that there were people staring at their iPhones with their headphones plugged in who didn't know anything had even happened. I know it was "just" a deer, not a person at least, and those who know me know that I'm not even that big of an animal person, but still, it just felt wrong and disrespectful to not even give a moment to acknowledge that deer's life. It's a little silly, but I said a little prayer for that deer and its family, and was just reminded of how short and precious life can be. I had to read Tuesdays with Morrie for a class this past week, and I know everyone on the planet has already read it besides me, but there were two passages that I was specifically reminded of today: 

“Everyone knows they re going to die,' he said again, 'but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently.” 

"Death ends a life, not a relationship"

I'm grateful for a true knowledge and belief in that last idea, and I hope to focus on living each day building the relationships with those I love so that my life will have true meaning.