Recently there are two people who were part of my formation that passed away. One was a priest and the other was a friend and a teacher. Both were younger than me. With this reality, again, I am reminded that life is short and uncertain and that at any time, God can call you.

The Gospel reminds us to be wise. Always be prepared. Hence, three things we can always do.

1. Discern your vocation. You are at a very crucial point in your life. The course you take influences your future. As an example, if you really decided to be a priest, you are on the right track. However, if you are still not sure and are just going with the flow, you could be short-changing yourself. What are my opportunities in life with a BA in Philosophy? What career would make use of my seminary formation?
   
2. Never Take Your Parents for Granted. Statistically, the first people you will be saying goodbye to are your parents. Since we do not know how much time they will have left, never take them for granted. One of the biggest regrets of people is that they should have done more for their parents.
   
3. Learn how to deal with Loss. Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes. You should learn to deal with loss because nothing is forever. At your age, you will start to experience many goodbyes and losses in life. In fact, there are those who stick it out with the seminary simply because they do not know how to say goodbye. 

My dear Friends, life is short and uncertain. The reality is people will forget you after some time, your family will move forward after some time, and the goodness you have shown may be forgotten by people. God sees everything though. Hence, in this life, may we always be reminded that the ultimate person we think of in this life is the Lord.