This past week my grandmother died after a relentless battle with brain cancer. I normally wouldn’t choose topics that are so personal to me, but it’s nearest to my thoughts right now and I can’t be passionate about anything else.

My grandma was cool. I enjoyed the phone calls and visits that I often made out of obligation. I criticized her at times, as most family members are guilty of and I took her life for granted. I loved her because she was my grandma and there was some sense of family obligation.

When her time was over on Tuesday afternoon I was forced to dedicate all my thoughts, curiosities and emotions towards her. I couldn’t love her half-heartedly and be distracted by my own needs. It was her time.

The sad truth about this situation is that it took a paralyzing and haulting life event to make me forfeit all my selfishness and think only about her, the woman we had just lost. It wasn’t until then that I realized I didn’t love her as my grandma, I loved her as a person.

This isn’t an issue for all of us right now. Very few of us are dealing with a death, but all of us are confronted with life-something seriously taken for granted. Think of the closest people in our lives, the people who have become permanent furniture in our worlds. Just for three minutes-stop and think about one person without distractions and don’t cloud the thoughts by thinking of how they’re associated with us. Just think of that person alone.

It’s disheartening, although human, how easily we take people for granted and get so busy in ourselves that we haven’t realized we’ve done it. Let’s not let life stop us and make us sorry and regretful. Let’s all just take the time we need in life to appreciate the people who really matter to us. They are certainly worth it.