Death and The Moment

My co-worker passed away a week and a half ago.
34 years old.

You think about the life you lead within the walls of the "office" as separate from your "life". These people you spend 8+ hours with every single day. The ones who have seen you at your very worst and at your very best. The ones who have seen you cry during personal challenges, rant during professional challenges... have listened to your hiccups and snorts during laughter. Who you talk about your "life" with...

Not until one dies do you realize, you were living "life" with him/her, with all of them. You know how many siblings they have and where their parents live and when they got married and how many kids they have. You have seen life with them, you have lived life with them.

And so he's gone. And it leaves a big empty spot in our hearts. It was sudden. It was shocking.
I can't ask him "a quick question" or listen to him speak to his family over the phone (officles are not private folks!).

Just like that, we mourn, we grieve, we question... we move forward.

His death made me realize just how much I love these crazy folks that surround me at work.
I'm doing my very best to enjoy our silly moments and our sad ones. To make time for more connecting and more enjoying through our deadlines and meetings.

This is life. All of it. The work, the leisure, the home. All of it. And I'm going to enjoy all of the moments it provides.

RIP JJK