away. He graduated from high school just this past year, and although I did not know him personally, I knew of him and knew that he had fought one very courageous fight with cancer. I went to bed last night thinking of Skyler, his girlfriend, his family and friends. I said a prayer for all of them, asking God to hold them in His care and give them the strength to get through the next days, weeks, months and years. Then it hit me…“Life is a gift.” Each day we wake up is a gift that we should appreciate and live to the fullest. But our own life is not our only “gift”. Each and every person that comes into our life, whether for a long period of time or for just a short stay, is a gift. Each person that even remotely touches our life is a gift. These extra gifts that are given to us should be handled with extreme care and love, for we never know how long they will be here. From all I have heard about Skyler, I think he knew and understood that. Although his passing has left a vast emptiness in the hearts and lives of many, his life was not wasted. He was certainly a gift to everyone that knew him or knew of him. May his family and friends find peace and take comfort in the memories they will always have. And may
each person who reads this remember that the greatest gifts are not those wrapped with pretty paper and fancy bows.
The greatest gift is life itself…of our own and especially of all those we love.