One year ago today, my cousin Ben died while climbing in Peru.

I didn’t learn he was missing until two weeks later, and then there were three long miserable days until his body was discovered.

It took another week and a half after his body was recovered to return him to the US and bury him.

After all this time, I’m still mad at him, and probably always will be to some small degree. But the anger isn’t the greatest part of what I feel.

 
 
If you love somebody,
Better tell them while they’re here, ’cause
They just may run away from you
You’ll never know what went well
Then again it just depends on
How long a time is left for you
I’ve had the highest mountains
I’ve had the deepest rivers
You can have it all but life keeps moving
Now take it in but don’t look down

‘Cause I’m top of the world, ‘ay
I’m on top of the world, ‘ay
‘Waiting for this for a while now,
Paying my dues to the dirt
I’ve been waiting to smile, ‘ay
Been holding it in for awhile, ‘ay
Take it with me if I can,
Been dreaming of this since a child
I’m on top of the world

I’ve tried to cut these corners
Try to take the easy way out
I kept on fallin’ short of something
I coulda’ gave up then, but
Then again I couldn’t have, ’cause
I’ve traveled all this way for something
Now take it in but don’t look down

‘Cause I’m top of the world, ‘ay
I’m on top of the world, ‘ay
‘Waiting for this for a while now,
Paying my dues to the dirt
I’ve been waiting to smile, ‘ay
Been holding it in for awhile, ‘ay
Take it with me if I can,
Been dreaming of this since a child

And I know it’s hard when you’re falling down
And it’s a long way up when you hit the ground
Get up now, get up, get up now
And I know it’s hard when you’re falling down
And it’s a long way up when you hit the ground
Get up now, get up, get up now