It's the kind of thing you never really think about. You read through your social networking site (the infamous Facebook) looking at the messages your friends have sent you in the past few hours...days...weeks...months...years. It's the kind of thing where you see one that says 'Hey, you should come visit! I really miss you!' and you're like, 'Yeah, in a perfect world.' And then you see the one's with the most random words that at one point in time meant so much and could keep you laughing for hours and now, all they are is a steam of memories that you will never get back.

A former teammate of mine passed away this weekend in a tragic snowmobiling accident. She graduated last year and moved back to her home state of Jersey. We weren't close friends, by all means, but we have a connection that she didn't share with many others - we were fellow rowers.

I've often thought about what it would be like to lose someone close to me. I consider myself an extremely compassionate person partially because I've never really lost anyone that close to me. Sure, I've known friends' relatives that have died. I've been to a couple of funerals for people who went to my high school. But thankfully, I have never lost anyone in my inner circle. I can't even imagine what it would be like to lose a friend like some of my teammates lost in her. Becca was a great girl - such love for life and a sense of passion that not many people possess. She was 22.

I think in times like these, it is best to tell those who you love that you love them - plan a trip to see a friend who really matters but is farther than a day trip. And embrace every second - because you never know what can happen.

RIP Becca - you are and will continue to be missed.