No Second Chances

I wrote this post the morning after I heard some tragic news.  At the time, I didn't have the heart to post it.  It's been sitting in my Gmail inbox, where I store all of my unfinished posts, waiting for me to come back to it.  Here is what I wrote:

Last night, I heard some terrible, awful news.  Someone that I used to know when I was younger was in a motorcycle accident.  It said in the paper that he was in critical condition, but last night we got a call that his family took him off life support.  I really didn't know him very well, but I used to think he was cute when I was little, and I still remember the magic trick he taught me at an open house for our church. His death came as such a shock to me.

He was only two years older than me.

He didn't even get a second chance. It seems so wrong that someone should die when they're just reaching the peak of life. It's just such a waist, such an injustice. I cried my eyes out in disbelief. How do you deal with something like that? He was there and now he's not. He doesn't even exist anymore. I can't imagine what his family is going through. I don't even want to.
I guess it makes me think, "that could have been me." It makes me not want to take anything for granted, to let people know how I feel, to seize every opportunity, to do what I love for as long as I can. Just like that, all your chances could be gone. What chances do I pass over everyday. Probably dozens. He had the chance to wear his helmet. He didn't take it. No second chance. 
I'll always do my best to remeber him by trying to take a few more of those opportunities every day.  Everytime I buckle my seat bealt or put on a helmet, I think of him.  I will never make the same mistake he did.  It's just not worth the conciquences.  I'm so sorry that his life had to end so soon, so sorry.  My insides ache with regret for him and sympathy for his family.  I will try to honor him by not taking my life or my safety for granted.  We are all so breakable.  Bones and hearts can be broken in the blink of an eye.