Catherinesreal

Fake an illness/accident

General fake drama

No "joke doxxing"

Fake graduating

Pretending to lie/breakup/cheat

Yesterday, I received the sad news that someone I knew and volunteered with has passed away.

We weren't close, but they were part of my life for a brief time. They had plans and dreams for their future, and now they can’t make any of those dreams a reality.

It’s a strange and heavy feeling to realize that someone’s entire experience of life is now just over.

The fact that they aren't here anymore has weighed on me all day. It’s not just sadness; it’s also given me perspective. They’ll never see another sunrise, discover a new song, fall in love again, taste their favorite food, complain about a Monday, or feel the warmth of the sun on their face.

Yet here we are.

We are still breathing, still getting chances, still able to grow and change. Yet we live with so much pain because of how our lives are. Life can be messy and unfair, but it can also be really beautiful with small moments that we often take for granted because we all assume we will have more chances to experience them.

The person I knew does not.

So please appreciate life. Call that person you’ve been meaning to reach out to, go outside, start that project, say yes to that new opportunity.

None of us are guaranteed as much time as we think we are.

Have you ever had that one band that nobody ever assumed that you would be a fan of, or have been deeply impacted by?

For me that is the Manic Street Preachers hands down the best band to come from Wales and one of my all time favourite bands ever. I genuinely feel like they really understood the mess that is me in the music and as someone who has had an different life from what is considered the norm it felt amazing to feel understood in this way by a band.

I knew of them in childhood but didn't have that impact made by them until 2023. Do I wish it had happened sooner? Yes but the thing is I do feel like they came into my life at the perfect time too and that is also something that I am grateful for.