The evening before last, a man residing in this building died.  He was not old.  He was not unhealthy.  He was not much different from my own husband.  Had arrived on Okinawa in August, just recently celebrated an anniversary with his young wife, had a lovely two year old, and was in a steady and strong Marine Corps career.

In fact, he not only lived in this building.  He also worked in the same building Mark works in.  Mark knew him and considered him a friend.  His death hits close to home.  Well, when you consider that he lived just 4 floors above us, his death kind of hits home, period.

The most tragic part is that he did not have to die.  Several days ago, he was misdiagnosed at medical and was sent home and told that he was suffering from an ear infection.  As it turns out, he had meningitis.

Now, this community is small.  We are in close quarters regardless of whether or not we want to be.  When things like this happen, it affects us all in one way or another.  In the Marine Corps family life, it's not expected, per se, but is at least understood moreso than in many other career paths that death is a possibility.  You send your husband away on deployments and regardless of how confident you feel in his abilities, you are well aware of the daunting fact that he might not make it home with a heartbeat.  Sudden deaths like this somehow feel even scarier.  Even while your husband is home with you, working "normal" hours and you think he is completely safe, life is so precious.  It's impermanent.  It's fragile.  And quite frankly, it can end at any time, anywhere.  It's incredibly unfortunate that it takes tragedy to jog society's communal memory about those things.

I've been selfish.  I've taken for granted all of the things that I've unintentionally expected to always be there.  Tomorrow, for example.  My family.  My health.  I am so fortunate.  I am so blessed to have these seemingly simple things.

Life is a blessing.  Hold your loved ones a little closer tonight and appreciate their existence, please.  And say a little prayer for those less fortunate.