These were the words of my 10-year-old granddaughter Luna when we discussed the recent, untimely death of her classmate’s father, who died after falling down a steep slope while out on a solo hike. My daughter Sarah had been worried about how Luna might take the tragic news since this man was someone she knew, and he was a father, like her father, who went out into the wild on a routine basis. Luna told me she was sad about what had happened and that she had cried about it, but that she understood that the main lesson was to “love people while we have them.”

Certainly, a philosophical approach that can’t be disputed.

This evening, I read on Facebook about a classmate of my older brothers who recently lost his son. He wrote in his post: “Please re-direct your thoughts and prayers toward your own acts of affection and support for those around you. Hug people. Don’t let a day pass without professing your love. Understand how difficult this world has become and how tragic it is for great and talented people to search for happiness they never find.”

Yes, we must remember to let those we love know how important and special they are to us. We must hold each other close and recognize that life is hard and we are all fragile. We must, as Luna said, “love people while we have them.”

May light perpetual shine on these two young men.

May healing light surround the grieving families.

May we gather those we love around us and hold them tight.