Robert Neithart, Asst. News Editor—

About a month ago, I had one of the worst nightmares I’ve experienced in recent memory. I woke up at around 6:30 am with a strikingly detailed recollection of the dream I’d just had. I then proceeded to cry intermittently until my 8:30 am philosophy class, where, as if to throw salt into the wound, we discussed the nature of dreams and whether they truly represent a separate reality.

In the dream, one of my siblings had passed away, and my remaining family and I had to deal with the crushing reality of continuing life minus one of our most beloved. The shock and ensuing reflection prompted me to text “Love you guys” to my sibling group chat, a rare occurrence and a stark departure from most of my emotional expression which is usually delivered under a not-so-subtle veneer of sarcasm.

I thought a lot about my dream in the following days and weeks, growing increasingly disappointed that it took such an extreme occurrence to express my love and care for those so close to me. Why was it that I needed a once-in-a-decade nightmare to provide the motivation to express something that I should be saying on a regular basis? The answer is that confronting mortality, in whatever respect, has a remarkable way of providing clarity into the priorities of one’s life.

Rarely do individuals on their deathbeds express regret for not having bought more stuff, earned more money, or secured a higher position at their law firm. Rather, it’s the emotional, relationship-oriented aspects of life that people regret missing out on.

In my case, an early morning nightmare provided me with a reminder of the transience of life and my relationships. Confronting the prospect of permanent loss is a painful reality to reckon with, though one that proved necessary for me to take stock of my life and the people with whom I share it.

Today it seems, death is somewhat of a taboo subject. People would rather bury their existential fears among the many stimuli with which we are so often occupied. Though this makes sense, it is an unfortunate reality considering the benefits one might enjoy from taking a few moments out of their day to consider their and others’ mortality.

As young people, we often lead our lives under the illusory understanding that we’re invulnerable, at least for the next couple of decades, and thus, death shouldn’t be a real concern. While this perspective might be valid in terms of general health, death can come at any time, in any form and entirely indiscriminately.

I don’t make this point for the purpose of dwelling on a harsh truth, rather, I say it because it’s important to acknowledge that tomorrow is never guaranteed and that this reality should inform our choices so that the way we act today reflects the image of the individual we’d like to be remembered as once we’ve moved on.

Though we can never truly know what awaits us at the end of the road, what is clear is that death represents an end to this life. Consider for a moment how you’d be remembered if you were to pass on in your sleep. What would people say? What would you regret? Let that image instruct the person you want to be, never take tomorrow for granted and remember that a wasted day is a high price to pay.