No Regrets (Lilyanne Nguyen)

I’m so sad and devastated to hear of the passing of Robin Williams. He made my childhood greater and allowed me to live in my imagination. I can’t thank him enough for instilling humour into my life and into everyone else’s. I’ve seen a significant number of losses in my short life of 26 years, and these incidents have undoubtedly taught me numerous lessons, but the one that stands out to me the most is to never take people for granted.

This is truly one of my biggest fears. My sister and I hadn’t spoken in months when she died, and I think what most people often overlook is the fact that you never know when someone close to you might be stripped from this world. This being the very reason I now refuse to hold grudges and waste my time focusing on negative energy towards others.

So, with that said, tell your girlfriend she’s beautiful. Tell your husband he’s handsome. Call your mom. Hug your dad. Tell your sister you appreciate her. Tell your brother you’re proud of him. Tell your parents you love them. Smile at strangers on the street. Laugh with your friends. Turn off your phone. Read a book. Watch a movie. Get a dog. Play hard. Work smart. Dance like no one’s watching. Eat something really bad for you. Eat something really good for you. Stop and smell the flowers. Take a deep breath…

Whatever you do, don’t wait for excuses to love life and for reasons to appreciate the people in it. Don’t make the same mistake I did and wait until it’s too late.