Today I went snorkeling at a beach on Oahu. The fish, the coral, the sun, the water, all perfect. Do you ever have those moments when you need to pinch yourself? Yeah, it was one of those moments.

And then, just a moment later it all flipped upside down.

I watched a man being rushed to shore on a surf board and quickly transferred to one of those orange boards on the sand. The lifeguards swarmed and cleared a space around him. They strapped him down and quickly began CPR, taking turns, again, and again, and again....and again.

They did this for nearly 45 minutes.

I stood in the water and watched with horrified fascination, like a car crash you can't look away from. I didn't want to watch, but I also couldn't make myself keep swimming. I stood there shivering in the hot sun.

I cried for the man. I cried for his family. I cried for the lifeguards who maintained their strong faces as they tried and tried. I cried for the EMTs who eventually made the decision to stop trying. I cried as they loaded him into the ambulance. And I cried as the people dispersed, hiding any trace of what just happened on the beach.

I sat on that beach all afternoon. I couldn't go in the water, and yet I couldn't make myself leave. Do you ever feel paralyzed by your emotions? I do. I always need time to process things, analyze and over analyze. I think that's why I'm so quiet. I'm too busy thinking.

So what's the take away?

Life is so god damn fragile.

That's all I can come up with.

Bad things happen to good people, at any time of the year. You can plan and schedule and then life happens and none of it matters.

Please go hug your people extra tight for me today, ok? Holidays or not, spread some love.