“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” — Psalm 90:12 ❤️

In recent years, I have stood beside far too many graves and said goodbye to far too many people I dearly loved. Each loss has carried its own sorrow, yet each one has also left behind a quiet gift: a deeper understanding of just how precious this life truly is.

Death has a way of teaching the living. It gently reminds us that our days are not meant to be rushed through or taken for granted. The ordinary moments we so often overlook are, in fact, the extraordinary ones. A conversation with a friend. A hug from a child. A shared meal. A sunset. A prayer. These are the treasures that become the memories we hold closest.

Through every loss, my faith has remained my anchor. It has given me the confidence to know that this earthly life is not the end of the story. Rather, it is where our hearts are shaped, our character is refined, and our capacity to love is stretched and strengthened. It is where we learn to extend grace, offer compassion, and faithfully care for the souls God has entrusted to our lives.

The people I have loved and lost have taught me more than they could ever know. They have taught me to be present. To choose gratitude. To love generously. To forgive freely. To find beauty in the fleeting moments and to hold them with open hands.

As I grow older, I find myself less concerned with things that once seemed important and more captivated by the simple gift of being here. Of gathering around a table. Of hearing laughter fill a room. Of witnessing God’s goodness woven through both joy and sorrow.

Life is a sacred gift. Every single day of it.

So tell people you love them. Make the phone call. Take the trip. Share the meal. Extend the kindness. Offer the encouragement. Treasure the moments that seem small, because one day you may discover they were the moments that mattered most.