I really don’t want to bum you out. I also know that though the takeaway from this post is the same that’s been written by dozens of others, it really doesn’t make it any less relevant. Your life can change forever in a millisecond.

I spent the weekend in Tuscaloosa with friends, putting on a race. It was successful and we had a great time, but

I spent a lot of time thinking about a young lady that I never met.

On January 9th, 2017 Katie Keogh, the daughter of a friend of mine was struck and killed by a train in Tuscaloosa and it will forever be what I associate with the town. I can’t not think about it and feel for that loss.

Yesterday, train whistles went off almost hourly while I worked our venue. I worked for 2 days less than a half of a mile from where the accident took place. With every whistle. I was reminded and I stopped and was thankful and remembered her.

All that I have read and seen about this young woman was that she was kind and wonderful and every time I think of her. I think of my daughter and I’m at once thankful and scared to death. I’m not the type of person who lives in fear of what “might could happen.” But this scares me.

I of course don’t think my daughter will be in a train accident. But no one does. That’s the point. One second and your world can be upended and forever changed.

So yeah, love more, live more and be the person you want to be.

One second.

Today as I left Tuscaloosa, I thought about Katie one more time. I smiled. And drove away.

#hugsandhi5s