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LIFE is precious. I was reminded of this once again this past week. I heard some really bad news about someone very close to me. It was shocking; in fact I thought my world would crumble. I am still trying to come to terms with it.

But then, adding to my already fragile state, on Sunday morning I received a call from my aunt telling me that my cousin had suffered second degree burns while out with his friends.

She very calmly said, "Tanya, Clint (pseudonym) was badly burnt last night." I now realise that she was so calm, because she was in a state of shock herself.

"Is he okay? Where is he? How and where did this happen?" I asked.

She very calmly explained to me what had happened and asked me to call my mom.

After the conversation with my aunt, I was disorientated while trying to make sense of it all, hoping that I would wake up and it would all be a bad dream.

Which, unfortunately, it was not; it was so real. He suffered second degree burns on his chest, neck and face.

Although I had not seen him yet, the thought of him being in pain brought tears to my eyes. Talking to a friend later in the day, I expressed the sadness that the whole family was feeling and she gave some very wise words.

"Tanya, it could have been worse. He is alive; he might have a few scars, but he is still breathing. Other people are not that fortunate.""

Although initially these words sounded harsh and cold, thinking about it later, after visiting him in hospital, it made tremendous sense.

On the way to the hospital my fear of what I would see when I walked into his ward was intensifying.

My cousin is a beautiful boy. He could be on the cover of a magazine and I am not just saying that because he is my cousin.

Walking into his ward, seeing him on his bed with his neck and face swollen with blisters and looking so helpless, my eyes immediately welled up with tears.

I fought really hard to hold the tears back. He looked at me and said, "Come over here and give me a kiss."

Earlier in the day I spoke to him on the phone and he said, "Don't worry about me; I am made of steel."

I was very happy to know he still had his sense of humour.

This 22-year-old, with so much life to live, made us all realise that despite what happened, he would not let it kill his spirit.

He was so optimistic, full of life and kept reminding us that he was okay ? even joking about potential scarring.

"If this leaves a scar, it will look awesome!" he said. This reminded me that life is not about our bodies; it is about our minds, souls and experiences.

His burns might leave scars, but it will also be a reminder of the life he is blessed with. This brings me back to those wise words, "It could have been worse."

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