Death is a sobering reality that hits you like a ton of bricks, right when you’re least expecting it. It’s something we never want to deal with, but when we have to, it’s usually enough to make us take a step back and appreciate what we have.

Willie Jacobson’s life was too short. And for the people who knew him, even those friends on this campus who met him just months ago, his memory will endure, and he will become an indelible symbol to friends and acquaintances, reminding them that life is beautiful, but it is sometimes so unfair.

During the past four years, Ithaca College has seen more than its fair share of tragedy. And yes — now is probably the busiest time of the academic year. We’re all stressed with finals, grading papers and preparing to move on to new jobs and new lives. But maybe that makes now the perfect time to pause for a moment, to forget our worries and realize that in the scheme of things, one paper or test really doesn’t matter so much.

So take a moment today or tomorrow to remember our friends and classmates who should still be here with us today, but passed away before their commencement walk through Butterfield Stadium. Even if you never knew Morgan Potter ’08 or Kim Chu ’07, Trevor Jahn ’06, Danielle Goren ’07, Cassandra Karpinski ’08 and now, Willie Jacobson — take time this week to remember that they, too, walked this campus not too long ago. And we may not have all the answers we wish we did, but we can at least learn invaluable lessons from these untimely passings.

Enjoy what you have, and the people around you — your family, your friends, professors, and even people you’ve never met — and most importantly, don’t ever forget that this life is too often taken for granted.