Kailah Lee | Staff Writer
Photo Credit: Pexels User Brett Sayles
Imagine a life where forgiveness does not exist. A life where the moment we make a mistake, we aren’t given a second chance. That’s a life lacking in substance, a life unappreciated and a life without the chance to grow. We may not have eternity on this earth, but we do have a portion of time to hold. And in that time, our moments with one another are sacred. We often forget how fortunate we are until it is too late, but while there is time, just check in with the people who mean something to you.
Beloved basketball legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna Bryant, and seven others were killed in a plane crash Jan. 26. A loving father and his prodigy basketball star, both once living and happy, were taken from us. It was devastating — and a total shock to not only his family, but most of the world. We always hear that tomorrow is not promised, but it’s real. One minute our loved ones can be with us, and in the next, they can be gone forever. That’s why it’s important to squash the trivial turmoil and nurture the moments while they’re here.
“Two years ago, I lost my grandma to cancer, and I just wish that our last exchange was different,” said HU student Candance Parker, a bio major from Forest City, Arkansas. “I guess it hurt a little more because all she wanted me to do was call—just every once in a while but I was always too busy to make time for her.”
It’s so easy to forget about the people we don’t see in our everyday routine. But no more pushing them off because no one person is immune to the loss of someone. You never anticipate losing a person until it happens, and in the blink of an eye, everything changes. You may not want to reach out for your personal reasons, I get it. But ruminating on what could’ve been hurts so much worse. It takes little effort to reach out. A simple hello every now and then may even put a smile on their face. Time is one the greatest gifts we can receive, but it is unforgiving and easy to waste.
“I’ve lost some of the most essential people to the hands of time, but as far as my dad goes, his passing hit me the hardest, and I will never forget that phone call. He was my everything, my role model, my peace. He celebrated my passions, pushed me to become an artist, and provided me with the tools to follow in his notable footsteps,” said Tyler McColley, a graduating senior from Philadelphia.
Reflecting on McColley’s story, pettiness, disagreements and emotional distress are nothing compared to a life without your loved ones. Forgive anyone hurting you. Send them a text, free up time to call them, and if you can, pay them a visit. Show your appreciation for your loved ones and cherish them before it is too late.
“I would give anything just to talk to him again, but he is longer suffering,” McColley said about his father. “Our days were well spent, and I’m thankful for that.”
The Hampton Script 