This has been a tough week.  The spirit of death has touched me through three people in the past seven days.  Two of them I had a personal connection with and the third person I only knew online through their popular YouTube channel.

This week has reminded me of life’s fragility and how we must be intentional in living out the rest of your days no matter what you are going through. Death is one per person and will come for us all on its timing.  Not ours.

Also, these deaths have shown the best and worst of human nature.  The outpouring of love towards a husband that lost his wife of 40 years.  The compassion towards a loved one that had built a shell around themselves as they suffered with their health.  And the sharp reaction towards an online public figure that had a controversial (even this person’s most ardent supporters would have to acknowledge that) and polarizing message regarding relationships between men and women. You may have guessed this third person is the image consultant & Youtube star, Kevin Samuels.  Whether you agree or disagree with his views on man-woman relationships, I don’t get the reaction of some people celebrating his death.

In closing, I will write that being intentional is the prescription needed to navigate the difficulties of life.  Being intentional not only means living with intention. It means living with a purpose and acknowledging one’s limitations and doing the best you can with you have been giving with in life.  Also, it means being curious and not being afraid to step outside of your comfort zone experience life in its full capacity.  If you have genuine connection (connection is a two-way street) with family, friends, and work colleagues, then strengthen those connections and do your part to make them last.  People matter.  It’s not about independence or dependence.  It’s about interdependence, and the best and lasting connections have that as its foundation.

Life is precious and fragile but it’s worth the journey.  We don’t know when our time will end, but when those around have made that transition, it is up to us to take that baton and keep moving forward.  Be intentional because your life will depend on it.

My deepest condolences to all the people connected to the loved ones I have mentioned in this blog post.  Rest in Love.