I was sitting in my woodshop class, building a chair for a mandatory project, when all of a sudden a gong rang, and the sound of a wooden staff slammed to the ground.

Death entered the door, and it was at that moment I knew there was nothing I could do about it. As he pointed his boney finger at me, it sent a chill down my spine. When death comes for you there is no escape, fate strikes where it must. I had to face death just as many others have before me.

It was at this moment, I felt something similar to those who have met their demise.

Grim reaper day made a comeback to Southmoreland High School. It occurred on a Thursday for the first time in several years. Thursday, a day like any other day. Except that it wasn’t.

Although some might consider it to be a joke, others take it very seriously. The message that it stands for is an anecdote all by itself. Grim Reaper Day symbolizes all the people we lose due to a one small fatal error on a day to day average in Pennsylvania. It’s reaching out to students to drive safe. It lays out the statistics so the students could take in the real image of how many people are lost daily.

As a participant, it really changed my perspective on more than just negligent driving. I feel nothing but sympathy for all the victims and their families. It sincerely is unfortunate, and I personally know what it’s like to lose both, friends and family.

It’s unfortunate any time a life is lost, it is one thing to lose someone because of something that was out of their control, but it’s an entirely different feeling any time it could have been so easily avoided.

Grim Reaper Day is a reminder of how precious life really is. It is also no longer about tragedy and loss, but it is about acceptance and moving on.