Just over two weeks ago, I was shocked by the news that Rodney, husband to my late friend, Mary, and father to their two little girls, passed away suddenly from heart failure, apparently a genetic condition.

Although I did not know Rod very well, I remember having a very long phone conversation with him about a year after Mary’s death in 2011. He told me of the day-to-day difficulties of living without Mary. It was not just coping with the grief and being a single Dad – the girls were always going to be his first priority – but dealing with “simple” things like the phone company and untangling any financial commitments they had as a couple.

Just two nights before his death, Rod posted photos of their young daughters decorating the Christmas tree. If I am still struggling with Rod’s sudden passing, I can only imagine how devastated his daughters must be feeling.

Life is fragile and should not be taken for granted. We never know what could be around the corner. Lives can change at the blink of an eye, for better or worse. Live in the moment because you may not get another chance.