Throughout our life, we are reminded how short it truly is when we face unfathomable loss. Yet, in these moments, we are reminded of what it means to be alive and to be grateful for our time and people we cherish. Grief is not linear, nor is it symmetric between individuals. We all suffer differently and heal at different paces.

I learned this hardship in July 2024 when I lost my mother, who served as both parental figures for most of my life. Facing such a loss in the middle of my academic career was not easy. I found myself walking through an empty campus blaming everything for this loss, thinking, “What God would take from those who had already lost so much?”

But God isn’t vindictive, and everything in life happens for a reason. I found this answer in my mother’s final moments through her last nurse, another proud mother to a St. Joe’s student. I would eventually share a class with this student in the following semester, and they went on to become a good friend of mine.

Circumstances such as these solidify my belief in a greater power and reaffirm my commitment to finish my degree at St. Joe’s. A story I often relate to is the ancient story of Sisyphus, who was cursed to carry a heavy rock up an endless hill. You can either view this as a futile struggle or a commitment to resilience and finding purpose in overwhelming circumstances. Sisyphus didn’t stop pushing that rock, and neither shall I.

Grief isn’t a battle we have to face alone. Institutions and programs are built up at this university for these exact moments. Without the support and care I found from the political science department, Student Success and other various outlets, I would not be graduating this May. As we draw nearer to Easter, we must remember Christ couldn’t carry his cross alone up the hill, and we shouldn’t expect ourselves to do the same.

Reach out to loved ones and cherish each moment you have because tomorrow is never truly guaranteed.