Column: Staff Notes, by Kristin Overland

As the calendar changed from 2013 to 2014, many of us make resolutions — to get fit, eat healthy, to quit smoking or drinking.

I’m not really one for resolutions, but I did have a few goals in mind to accomplish in the next year. One is trying out for a play at the community theater, even though I have never acted in an actual production before, and another is to train for and run in the April Sorenson Memorial Half Marathon in July. Realistic, reachable goals, I would say.

But only a few days into the New Year, my goals didn’t seem very important. Tragically, my husband’s cousin, Blake Overland of Stewartville, was one of the men killed in Winona when the SUV they were in crashed into the Mississippi River on Jan. 5.

Our family, which is usually all smiles and laughter, was suddenly heartbroken at the news. He was only 28 … so much life left to live. I’ve seen many messages saying that he was a great guy, so fun to be around, with a passion for hunting, fishing and the outdoors. And that he will be missed, and surely he will be. Our family will never be the same.

I realize that tragedies happen every day, but you never think it will happen to you or the ones that you love.

And so I have made a new resolution, for this year and always, to tell the people I love that I love them. I don’t ever want to walk away angry or upset, to hang up the phone without saying goodbye, and I don’t want to have any regrets, because you just never know.

I also want to spend time with the friends that we are lucky enough to have in our lives. Time seems to get away from us, and I don’t want to look back and wish I had done things different.

I would like to challenge you, as mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, family and friends, to love, and to have no regrets, because, like I said, you just never know what tomorrow might bring.

Rest in peace our dear cousin. We will love you and miss you forever.

 

Kristin Overland is a graphic designer at the Albert Lea Tribune.