This past week, I received news that a friend unexpectedly passed away. My first thought was, Here we go again.
Over the last year, I've had an intimate relationship with grief. Caring for those I love, saying goodbye to my father, and learning firsthand how precious and fragile this life truly is.
But this time, something was different.
While I grieve the loss of my friend, I also found myself grateful.
Grateful that I've been more intentional about spending time with the people I love. Grateful that I immediately said "yes" to an upcoming girls' trip to the beach without worrying about whether it was practical. Grateful that my son and I finally booked our long-awaited trip to Italy. Grateful that I've returned to editing the book that has been waiting patiently for me. Grateful for lingering dinners, good food, good wine, and the kind of conversations with loved ones and dear friends that make you lose track of time and wish the evening could last just a little longer.
For years, I've gladly spent my life pouring into others—my work, my family, and the people I love. But this past year deepened that calling in ways I never expected. It became a season of caregiving, loss, and learning that love often asks the most of us when time feels the shortest. Those experiences changed me.
They taught me that when our time comes, no one will measure our lives by how many emails we answered, meetings we attended, or tasks we completed. The people who gather around us will remember how we loved, how we showed up, the memories we created together, and the lives we touched.
So this is your reminder, as much as it is mine:
Call the friend.
Take the trip.
Write the book.
Order the dessert.
Fall in love, even if it scares you.
Make the memories.
Tell people you love them.
Don't wait for life to remind you that life is short.
Choose to live fully before you're forced to count what you've missed.
