“You have no idea what lost is like, everyone that I cared for has either died or left me!”

That was my mindset for most of my childhood. I never had any real long-term friends that I loved to hang out with. It was just a few classmates each year once summer came, we would just move on. That’s what happened to me from kindergarten to 5th grade.  I made one friend that became a brother to me. His name was Mathias. He was my best friend, but when I was in grade 7, he passed away. When it comes to my family, it’s even worse. I lost my aunt when I was in grade 6, and my grandma in grade 7, my grandmother in grade 9, and my grandfather in grade 12. It was also that time when I ended my first relationship (not going into detail since I made a whole blog called “My taste in the culinary world: Salty”). This has haunted me to date.

Not too long ago, I listened to a podcast about managing the death or loss of a loved one. One thing that stands out to me is that every man’s life is sufficient. What does that mean? Everyone lives for the time that they’re supposed to live, and they’re gone and then they live on through us, through our memories so we can share it to the world.  An example of this is that I always talked about my grandma on this website because she’s a big influencer in my life. Yes she’s gone, but she lives on through my memories which I can share with you guys.

At this point in time, when COVID-19 is a part of our lives and changes how we live, it’s really hard to not think about getting sick, or even death. Through this pandemic, it allows me to understand sickness and not to be afraid of it, to cherish people while they’re still here and not be afraid of people passing because every man’s life is sufficient. Lastly, when we grow old or even go outside, we never promised our next breath and that’s what makes life so precious. So, what is happening right now is that everyone is recovering, getting better or experiencing some pain in their life. It’s super scary. This is a great opportunity to say.

“Hey___________. This pandemic has reminded me how precious you are in my life, and I just want to say that I miss you, as well as that you have taught me so many valuable lessons.

In the end, what we’re all experiencing right now is the human condition. Yes it’s tough and scary, but in the end, we’re all in the same boat, experiencing this together. And that means we’re part of the coolest community ever.