Wednesday, March 08, 2006

A Matter of Perspective

March 8, 2006 - It's funny how sometimes, it really takes something tragic to shake up your system. Unfortunately, the tragedy is often painful and shocking - and often, at great costs. For the past several weeks, I guess I have been ranting and complaining about all parts of my life - work, school, relationships, friendship, etc. Those who know me well know that I really don't complain all that much - so all this ranting and complaining is definitely not an everyday thing. Anyway I must admit that it's easy to forget that life really isn't that bad - until you learn that worst things happen to other people.

Tonight, I got a call from a friend telling me that a mutual friend of ours from planning school has passed away. It was a shock, mainly because he was only 27 and we had no idea that he was sick. Apparently he had a seizure and died in his sleep. He was a really great guy: smart, funny, tall, really cute - we did undergrad together (we even shared the same majors: we were both in life sciences and geography) and he was also my TA for one year. We had the same undergrad thesis supervisor too - so in many ways, we were linked.

When I heard the news, it was shocking and depressing. To think that someone around my age, so full of potential and so full of life, could be gone, just like that, is really saddening. It also made me wonder why I'm complaining about getting out of bed when a colleague of mine would never get to experience the same things that I will get to enjoy in life. It also reminded me how short really life is and that not only do I really need to take better advantage of life's opportunities, but I also need to value and cherish the people and things around me.

I might be getting a little too sentimental, but hey, if I can't be sentimental at a time like this, then I don't know if there ever will be a better time.

Matt, you will be missed by all of us. Rest in peace.

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