I was awakened in the wee hours one morning this week by a text. My daughter asked me to give her a call as soon as I could.

I knew that it could not be good news - there aren't really any good phone calls at 4 am. But it was worse than I expected. My daughter's boyfriend, who was less than 12 hours out of major oral surgery, had received word from his family that his father had been killed in a horrifying car accident.

The devastating news hit my daughter hard too. This was the last paternal figure in her life after the death of her only remaining grandfather in 2020. The rest of the week was a scramble to get soft food prepared, plane tickets booked, and packing completed so they could head to his family's place to mourn.

It happened so fast. One minute he was on the way home, and the next he was gone. We have to remember that life is like that and live accordingly. Even in difficult times, we need to seek joy and connection, because it can all be gone in the blink of an eye.

I'm in my second week of 75 Hard and it's a challenge, all right. But I'm absolutely loving it. Sometimes when things are tough - like with the economy, censorship, and/or personal stuff, it helps to have a big goal to focus on. I've managed to stick to this grueling schedule for 9 days now and I have more energy, better skin, and improved cardiovascular fitness. It's been good mentally too, to have something on which to focus that is entirely positive.

For food, I've focused on a non-processed, high-protein diet. I've been eating lots of protein, potatoes, rice, and veggies. I'm currently reading Atomic Habits by James Clear. For exercise, I've been lifting weights in the gym, walking a few miles, swimming, and doing yoga. I have walked in hundred-degree weather and a deluge of rain. It gives me a feeling of accomplishment that regardless of everything else, this is within my control.