Almost everyone knows that we all will eventually die and that no one lives forever. Many people have had life plans since they could talk, but few realize how valuable life actually is. Anyone can die at any moment. Some people, including me, live every day as if it were my last.

This past weekend, on Feb. 9, 2020, one of my cousins passed from an appendix rupture. My family heard the news the next day. Throughout the whole day, I was shocked, knowing that my cousin that I grew up with passed away so suddenly and so fast. This taught me a valuable lesson on how nobody should take life for granted.

I noticed that I should be more appreciative of my life, even without something significant happening to me or anyone else in this world. I should be able to acknowledge that I am fortunate for the things that are given, provided, or offered to me. 

While realizing this, I noticed the key to appreciating life is to have happiness in your life. Some ways to be happy are to do things that help others, such as donating to charities or volunteering. Maybe visit the family members and friends you love most, the ones you’d miss. The most important aspect of finding happiness in the day-to-day business is making sure you make time for yourself to reflect on everything in your life. That dog that wagged its tail when you waved at it? That’s something good to hold onto, even if work was awful and you have homework you still need to get to, but practice starts in 30 minutes. Life is good. Value it.

Though this tragedy has found a way to overthrow my week, I’m doing my best to stay strong and keep my cousin in my thoughts. I want to be happier in my own life, because I don’t know if today will be the last day I can look for that joy in my life.