Today was my big 3-0! Whooo hooo!!! Today's birthday opened my eyes to how precious this life really is. I am looking forward to my 30's. I'm not hung up on it in the least! I had a good start to my day, I woke up early and ran with the group. My friend Emily told me, during our run, of her friend that was in a serious car accident on Monday morning and died at the young age of 25. I felt terrible for her loss and listened intently as she told me how his death came about. I felt a real since of sadness for this guy, and my heart went out to his family and friends.
I came home feeling pretty good about my run, 6 miles, and I am really going to bump my training up from here so it was a good start! I began thinking of the guy Emily spoke of that passed on Monday, I started thinking of how much my life changed from the age of 25 until now. I got married, started and finished school, had a baby, and met lots of new people. I mean think if my life was over at 25, what I would have missed, what my parents would have missed out on, I mean, when you really think about it, everybody has an effect on the world in some way no matter how much or little you think you accomplish in your life, no matter how short or long it is!! Then, in mid ponder, I received a phone call from one of my friends and co-workers. She told me that our other trainer where I work died in a car accident on Monday morning. I remembered everything Emily told me of her friend, it all came rushing through my head, and realized it was the same person. My heart skipped a beat, Patrick Chester. I have only known him for 3 years or so, not very well, he was quiet, but a really fun person once you get him to open up. Patrick, Ray and I had clients at 5am and I get on there nerves so badly because I am sooo energetic in the morning and they are like..."Kara, what in the heck is wrong with you??? Its too early to have that much energy!!"
He was such a smart guy! He was supposed to graduate from APSU in December this year, I just graduated in August so we had that in common too. Here is the thing. I didn't know Patrick personally very well, he was a work acquaintance that I respected. He was young, had his whole life in front of him. Last time I saw him I had Avery with me, I brought her over to him while he was working out on the bench press and said, HEY! WHen you gonna have one of these" He smiled and said, one day, but not today!!! LOL! It's insane how quickly it happens, one minute your here on earth, talking and dreaming about your future plans, then with in a blink of an eye, your out. Its just that fast and that abrupt! You can go over and over what he could have done differently to not have wrecked, how if he was only a second earlier, or didn't decide to go back out after the concert, or if he just went a different route that he would still be here, he would be at Ray's gym in the morning with us to train our clients having to endure my perky morning attitude! But the truth of the matter is, there is absolutely nothing we can do now, Patrick is gone. We have to mourn, we have to feel that emptiness, we have to find it with in ourselves to pick ourselves up and move on with life even though it seems that maybe, just maybe, life should just stand still for a while. Patrick had so many close friends, he helped so many as well with there health. He was a very good person and this world will miss him. I hate to sound cliche' but ...Rest in Peace Patrick Chester, move on through the other side. We will see you again some day, I truly believe that.
