The Fragility of Life

There are a few things in life that make you stop dead in your tracks and think. They are moments you never think about, and never expect until it happens, and then that moment can change your life. The last few years, I have been thinking and learning a lot about life. The more life that I have stored underneath my belt, the more I have become to appreciate every single day, because I have no idea when my life will be taken. Tonight I had a few people over my apartment to celebrate the birthday of a new friend of mine, and in the middle of all the fun and laughter, I had a strange urge to check my myspace. I haven't really used it much lately, and i decided just to make sure nobody had commented or anything on my page. When I looked I saw a couple comment approvals and a message from my sister. As soon as i opened it I immediately saw the name "Matt Prosoco" right smack in the midst of a bunch of blurry words, and without reading any of those words, I got a sudden chill throughout my entire body. I was afraid to read the rest of the message.

I haven't heard from my friend Matt in a long time. Since my senior year of high school, when I flew out to New Mexico for my birthday to see some old friends. We weren't best friends by any stretch of the imagination, but Matt is one of those people that you can't help but laugh when you think about. So humorous and so full of life. I didn't really get to know him until my sophomore year of high school, when I made the varsity basketball team that he was one of the stars of. I remember right after the tip off of every game, somehow the ball always made it's way to him and he never missed that layup off the same backboard that always made the loudest metal clanging noise anytime a ball hit it. It was like clock work. No matter who we played, you could bet on the fact that #15 was going to put us up 2-0. That 2000-2001 Community Christian School basketball team has a lot to do with who I am today. I used to spend a lot of time with my best friend Tim who was really good friends with Matt and his friend John. I was the little sophomore and they were the Juniors and Seniors i looked up to, and was lucky enough to tag along with. There were a lot of Friday and Saturday nights where we would all kill time hanging out, or watching movies or getting into trouble up in the mountains. So many memorable basketball trips. I remember one game in particular. It was right after I had somehow scored 10 points in a minute and a half to win a game, and the next game, my coach didn't put me in for a single play in a loss. After the game, I was furious. I remember talking with Matt after the game about how upset I was, and he stood up for me and went and talked to the coach about how I deserved a chance to play. The next game, On Senior Night, I started right next to Matt and the three other graduating seniors and had one of the best games of my life scoring 14 points. That was the last basketball game I ever played in, and I am pretty sure that was his last game too. It wasn't much but that is a memory that I will never forget.

It was hard to believe that as I read the rest of the myspace message, I was left to deal with the fact that one of my friends was gone. Matt was killed early this morning in a car accident on his way to work. It's hard to get that kind of news, about someone who never had it easy, but always made the most of it. His myspace headline reads "Today is a day that anything can happen." I wish, more than anything for his wife and two kids, that what happened today can be changed. But I know that He is in heaven and that's a lot better then here, and the only thing I can do take this as a lesson that life is way too short to not take advantage of every opportunity you have, and pray for God's comfort and blessings on his family. Matt, I'll never forget the way you used to always say "What Up Dink ?!?" anytime you saw me. You were a great friend and one I can never forget. I wish I never lost contact with you, but I appreciate all you ever did for me or said. See you in heaven.