Life too short, fulfill dreams

It was like a knife to the heart to hear someone close to me was no longer here. I remember him telling me, “You gotta stay on your grind lil sis.” His regular, once a month phone call would be an update about what he was doing and encouragement for me to stay focused. His extra push helped me in ways he will never know.

He was just like anyone else. He had goals and was a young black male trying to beat stereotypes and statistics. He did not want to become another brother on the corner. So his love for music inspired him to put his life into words that flowed through beats. A lover of story telling, he loved performing the most, and enjoying the club. But last Friday night he died chasing his dreams to become a rapper.

With no idea he would lose his life after what appeared to be a normal night, he was shot while leaving a nightclub.

At first it was hard to believe. How could someone be here one day and gone the next?

Yes everyone dies, but not everyone lives. You may come in contact with thousands of people during your lifetime. Or you may know them for a short period and forget about them. But there are some people you can never forget.

For me, he was one of those people. You wanted to know him because he had an aura about him. His personality drew people to him. If you knew him, you knew how passionate he was about making his dreams become reality. I remember he would send nearly 20 text messages a day to everyone he knew, just to remind them about his new music. He told me that was his way of not letting people forget him.

One day, one million dollars plus will be in close association with my name. My exact path is unpredictable, but whatever it is, my success will exceed my dreams.

Each day when we wake up, we should evaluate our present position in life. Taking care of business is expected. But what is not expected is what matters most. No one expects you to make a difference in someone’s life, but that is what matters most.

My friend chased his dreams and made differences in lives around him too. He may not have lived to see his dreams realized, but he did something for me without even knowing.

His motivation and drive made you want to chase your goals. He never cared what people thought of him. He just lived for today and prepared for tomorrow.

So, today call someone you know and tell them you love them. Turn a stranger into a friend.

Our dreams are all we have. Life is a like a pocketwatch; and you never know when your clock will stop ticking.

Brook England is a senior broadcast journalism student from Miami. She can be reached at famuanopinions@gmail.com