The Loss of a Friend

Yesterday we received the news that a good friend, Nic Madrazo, was killed in combat while serving in Afghanistan. We were shocked by the news, and I cannot put into words the loss that is felt. I have experienced so many emotions in the last 24 hours from shock to anger to sadness. There have been tears, smiles and laughter in my house as we remember Nic. He was one of few people I know that truly had nothing but good things to say about others. He was genuine, sincere, and constantly had a shining smile on his face. He was filled with passion for life, people, God and his country. He touched so many lives and I am honored to have known him. He is a hero that served our country for justice with dedication and pride. I know I will see him again in heaven, but until then he will be greatly missed.

While trying to process all of this, I began to think about the people that mean most to me. Have I told them just how special they are? Do I tell them enough? All too often things like this go unsaid because we just assume people know how great we think they are. And often it’s not until they are gone that we put into words our true feelings of love, honor and respect for that person. I encourage you to try and break this pattern. Take the time to tell those in your life how precious they are to you. Write it down in a card, tell them over the phone or in person, but don’t let another year go by without telling them.