If today were to be your last day here, would you be at peace with yourself and your life?

I've just returned from the memorial service for the seven Blackwater men who were killed in the Skylink helicopter attack. The chaplain raised the question above, which I think is important for us all to consider. It hit me pretty hard when I first found out, and the days since then have been spent in pretty serious contemplation. Remember when I talked about normality here in Iraq? This sort of thing is a reality check; especially for those of us who have been here long enough to think that life here is in any way normal. Well, I'm not much in the mood here to wax philosophical. My only point is that these are the times when you stop and think whether you are really living everyday the way you want to be. Perhaps the most important lesson I've learned in my time here is to always make sure to let the people in my life know that I love them, every chance that I get. I know people here who will regret their last words with a loved one for the rest of their lives. Life is too short to end a phone call upset, or to walk away in frustration.

Make your relationships worth it, folks. Don't forget to tell those people you love them. You can never be sure which words will be your last.