Late last week, I received news that the beloved older brother of one of my dear friends from high school had taken his own life. My first thoughts consisted mainly of shock. This was followed by profound sorrow for my friend, her family and everyone else who had loved her brother so much.

As you might expect, I have no idea how my friend and her family must be feeling right now. I can speculate that they are in a state of immense sadness and shock. However, I know they are likely in a state of mind that I have never encountered before. It’s a place that only those who have experienced such tragedies can imagine.

The rest of us are left to grieve for them, for him and for the realities they now face moving forward in the best ways possible. Some people will bring food to the family’s house. Others can help by being a phone call away. Showing up to the wake and funeral services is sometimes all people need to do to pay their respects to the grieving family.

For me, this tragic death has sparked a series of thoughts and reflections on life and how we live it. The result is a number of lessons that I felt compelled to share with my friend, her family and anyone else who may be reading. They’re small and sometimes obvious, but nonetheless they are important things that should never be forgotten.

The first might be the easiest to forget: not taking people for granted. We often find ourselves caught up in the grind of day-to-day life and lose appreciation for things that the people we love bring into our lives. There is nothing more special that can be shared between two people than love. Watching someone close to me lose a loved one reminded me that people can leave us at any moment. We must appreciate them while we have them.

In addition to appreciating those around us, we must realize our own impact on those very same people. My friend’s brother may not have realized how many people he had touched throughout his life, but they took note and turned out to grieve his loss. Knowing how many hundreds of people will miss him may not have changed his decision, but we can learn from it. Aside from realizing our impact on those around us, we must maximize that impact. Help friends in need. Celebrate their victories. Just be there.

More than anything else, it hit me this weekend that we truly never know what people are going through in life. Whether it’s someone close to you or a stranger on the street, you likely do not know exactly what’s happening in that person’s life. While there may be nothing we can do to help them solve a particular problem, we all have the power to be kind. It goes a long way and can impact people in unimaginable ways.

Last, but certainly not least, is the message that we must be open to learning life’s lessons. While this tragic death can remain only that in the eyes of many, taking the opportunity to learn from its impact on the world and how we can better ourselves and the way we treat each other is truly important.

While giving the eulogy at Monday’s beautiful funeral mass, Jacob’s aunt remembered him in a profound way. The part that stuck with me most came when she said, “Jacob, you were a gift we received here on Earth and now, through your bodily death, you are a gift to be remembered and shared.”

For those closest to Jacob, this might mean telling stories, laughing at old jokes and reminiscing about better days. That said, you don’t have to be Jacob’s best friend to share his gift with the world. By bringing the lessons of Jacob’s death and those like him into our own lives each and every day, we can both honor Jacob and make the world around us so much better.

Though not everyone can bring food or be a phone call away from Jacob’s family, every single one of us can honor his memory in this way.

Call your parents and don’t take the fact that they answered for granted. Give your best friend a big hug and know it means more than you even realize. Smile at the lady that cuts you in line at Starbucks because she might have more going on than you realize.

Although Jacob may be gone, these are just a few ways that he will never be forgotten.

John is a junior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JohnBuysse.