how would you feel if one of your friends was suddenly taken away like that, no warning, no premonition? no time to say goodbye. she was changing lanes, i think, and she clipped the back of a truck and lost control, colliding into another car and dying virtually on impact. it could have happened to anyone.
2 years ago a couple of friends of R's were killed up in the adelaide hills, a kilometre from where one of them lived. the driver fell asleep at the wheel; one of the passengers survived, the other 2 died. they were 19 years old.
what would you do if somehow you knew you were going to die on a certain day? if you knew that when you got up and got dressed and had your breakfast, it would be your last time doing those things? kiss your family goodbye, realising this was goodbye forever, not just for a few hours. what would you do if you knew time was running out, that you didn't have forever after all? what would you do?
this girl wanted to travel a bit later on in life; she said, "i'll do that later on." but what happens if later never comes? what would you change if you could look back and see the things you didn't do? would you change anything? or could you say that you have lived life the best way you could, that you had no regrets or longings?
this sort of event brings everything into a reality; we're young but we're not invincible. we think we've got forever to do the things we want to do, live the dreams we create for ourselves, be the people we'd like to be. but what if we don't have forever after all? wouldn't you say, live life to the full... live with no chance for regrets? maybe we need to stop putting off the things we want to do one day, stop dreaming of the future and live those dreams right now. take each day as a gift and not a certainty, take nothing for granted but the very moment we're in.
i didn't know this girl but her death has certainly opened my eyes, made me think about life and death and everything in between. her life was cut short so tragically and swiftly; but her death won't be in vain. she's reminded me how precious every moment is and how nothing can ever be taken for granted. we're here, right now - lets live life the best way we can because maybe tomorrow, we won't be.
rest in peace, alison.
