A Precious Gift

As I slept in my ice-cold room last night, I had a nightmare. It was that one of my very good friends was killed in an automobile accident. When I woke up this morning, I came to the realization that I was dreaming. Over the weekend, I lost a close friend. His name was Robby Martin. We'd been friends since middle school and became much closer throughout our high school years. We were each others' "first crushes" years ago. As seniors, we were voted by our class as having the "best rides" in school. Yesterday I looked at our pictures we had taken for the award; it seems like yesterday. After high school, when most were heading off to college, Robby stayed in town and attended Indiana University of South Bend. He worked and hung out with our other friends who stayed in town as well. Unfortunately, Robby's life came to an abrupt end this past weekend.
I've never lost anyone so close in my life. Granted, I've never had to experience a death in my family. Robby's accident has forced me take a step back and look at the big picture, once removed. I've realized that I can't take anything for granted; one second it's there and the next it's gone. This sad situation has caused many of my closest friends and I to become even closer. The girls who moved away to different schools or took different paths than the others - we are now as similar as can be. We share the shock and heartache of this horrifying accident.
I have realized that time is such a precious gift, and I truly believe it is a gift. It should not be wasted on arguing and anger. Rather, it should be directed towards laughter, happiness, and satisfaction. Time should experience friendships and love, not hatred and envy. Unfortunately, it has taken the life of a person who cherished these feelings to make me realize I needed to myself. Thank you Robby. You will stay in our hearts forever.