Could My Friend's Choice Lead to Her Demise?

What choice will you make today?

There’s a thin line between life and death. It is evident every day and even more so in recent times.

We’re here today and gone tomorrow — just like that.

No one knows the time allotted to them on this earth. No one knows the time of their departure either. But the choices we make can lead to our untimely demise.

Many who are dying today choose death by the choices they make without even knowing it.

The food we feed our bodies. The lifestyle we chose to live. The thoughts we feed our minds and every decision we make contribute to the quality of our lives. It most likely decides how we live or die.

How will you choose to live today?

The choice is yours to decide.

I lost my friend today due to Covid.

20 years of friendship is not something I take lightly.

In our cubicles, side by side, we were team members assigned to transfer paper files to computerized data on a special project we worked on then.

Our friendship grew over the years. We became close friends.

But today I asked myself, could she be alive today if she had made different choices?

Everyone is entitled to their opinions. It’s your freedom of rights. I wholeheartedly respect that.

But today I ask myself, did my friend consider her 15-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son when she made the choice that leads to her death?

Did she consider how much her children needed her especially now at such vulnerable ages?

At 42, Maria was full of life. She had so much to give to the world. She was a good person — sister, auntie, friend, and a mom who loved her children.

With tears flowing down her cheeks from her hospital bed, a kind-hearted nurse facilitated a video conference. Her sister watched from a tablet as she struggled to breathe. “Take care of the children for me.” She muttered briefly.

“I’m not sure she’ll make it through the night.” The Doctor said as he shook his head.

She took her last breath 3 hours later. She died from the deadly Covid 19 Delta Variant.

Her story is not unique. We hear similar stories almost every day — The Covid Delta variant rapidly spreading amongst the unvaccinated. Hospitalization massing large numbers.

We’re living in trying times.

But when the story comes closer to home — When it’s someone you know — It’s an entirely different feeling.

“Did I seek to educate my friends and loved ones about the implications of choices? Should I have taken the time to reason logically about things my friends and I disagreed on without giving up or getting upset because we didn't see eye to eye? Could I have done something more to avoid my friend’s death”? I questioned myself.

My friend and I hadn’t spoken in several weeks. Frustrated by our conversations in recent times almost always ended in heated arguments.

Our views and perspective on the vaccine were different.

Her perspectives were baseless and without merit neither were they supported by data. I couldn't reason with her so I stopped texting and taking her calls.

Years of friendship were ruined by the disagreements we had about the vaccine efficacy.

I am not here to advocate covid vaccine. I believe credible information backed by scientific facts and data is circulating all over the world via reputable trusted sources.

I’m imploring that you choose who and what you listen to. Lean on reputable sources for your information-driven facts and data.

Don’t believe everything because it’s in print or voiced on social media. Apply logic to everything you read and consume.

Ask yourself, Is this information credible?

Do your homework and make conscious decisions.

Remember it's always yours to decide.

Hey!, and before you go….

Don’t be selfish thinking about yourself. Think about the people who care for you and need you around for a long time.

This is my personal view. They don't have to align with yours. That's what makes us uniquely different.

What’s your view? Let’s start a discussion in the comment.