The Man in the Glass

Have you ever lost someone close to you when you were young? When I was 18 a friend of mine unexpectedly passed away from a heart condition that no one knew he had, not even his family. His roommate at the time, who is also a good friend of mine, read the following poem, called “The Man in the Glass”, during the eulogy.

This was the second time in 4 years that I had lost a close friend. When I was 14 one of my best friends was lost in a fatal car accident. I lost my grandparents when I was a teen but there’s something different about losing close friends at that age. So I learned young that life is fragile. Going through this type of tragedy, especially as a teenager, makes you question a lot of things – mortality, career paths and the quest to gain meaning from your life.

The Man In The Glass

At the time of my friend’s death I was in the Marines while my friends were all in college. It was tough to look further down the road I had chosen. That year I spent a lot if time in self reflection, which changed my life direction drastically.

After my friend’s passing, I started a Bucket List for things I wanted to have, do, or accomplish in my life. I’ve found that having something to hope for gives us a sense of purpose.

And if you’re not your own best friend, you’ll never make it alone.

You can start with this.