Live Life Like It Could Be Your Last Day, But Don’t Live Scared That It Actually Is

Live Life Like It Could Be Your Last Day, But Don’t Live Scared That It Actually Is
By Emily Grabauskas

   On Thursday, March 12th, a young mother of 2 (31) by the name of Jamie Rowley was struck and killed by a driver in Ashburn while she was out for a run. Not to long go on January 13th, another mother of 3 (34) by the name of Meg Menzies was killed by a drunk driver while out on a 13 mile run while training for a marathon. Both women were avid runners doing what they loved to do every morning; however, they didn’t know that they would not return home to their families this time. 

These similar stories go to show that even though you may take the necessary precautions to be safe, such as wearing bright and reflective clothing, running in the daylight, and running on the sidewalk, you never know when something could go wrong. This doesn’t mean that you should stop what you always do. People die from car crashes, but we still drive. Now, there are stories of people dying while running along the road, but we should still run. Live life like it could be your last day, but don’t live scared that it actually is.

If we take every precaution we should, then there is no reason to believe that we will be unsafe. If anything, the drivers on the road should be more careful. Meg Menzies was hit by a drink driver while the state of the driver who killed Jamie Rowley is unknown. Maybe he was distracted, maybe he was tired, or maybe he was speeding. Whatever it may be, drivers and pedestrians share the same space, the sidewalk next to the road, so we need to make sure it is a safe space for everyone.

Both women have attracted the hearts of the running community. Creative memorials were constructed along the roads where these women were killed. People donated old running shoes in order to make the sites alive with the spirits of these women, but their children are still without mothers. If you feel so inclined, there is a page to donate money to an educational fund for the children of Jamie Rowley. http://www.gofundme.com/7hy03o is the link. 

From now on, live every day to the fullest because in the blink of an eye, something out of the ordinary could happen to you while you are doing something you always do. Be safe in the world, but please don’t stop living.