You just never know.

Monday night I received news that an ex-boyfriend (circa 2016) died. I triple checked the text to make sure I was reading and comprehending it correctly. Initially, I felt nothing as I was in shock. I had fallen asleep early that night and woke up to this text at midnight. Thirty minutes later it started to land. The mutual friend who shared the news had no further information.

The handful of people I shared this with in-person on Tuesday all said the same thing, “You just never know.”

Five days later and we still have no further information. My imagination has been running wild with possibilities. These uncertain conditions with a known outcome are interesting territory for me to explore as a mindfulness practitioner. My imagination is eager to retrieve a memory and draw a conclusion about how his life ended.

Will I ever have closure? I am not sure. My heart feels the tragedy regardless of the details. A life lost so young.

Do me a favor and call someone you haven’t spoken to in awhile today. Ask them how they are, really listen and tell them you hear them. Maybe even that you love them.