We live in a world full of unexpected disasters.

There are natural disasters which may wipe out an entire region. Or tragic disasters in which a gunman could walk into an elementary school and kill young children. Even accidental disasters, such as an explosion at a fertilizer plant, can happen at any time.

After realizing the devastation these events can bring, perhaps it may be easy for one to lose hope and faith in our world.

Such was the case for Martin Manley, former Kansas City Star sports reporter, who decided to take his own life on Aug. 15 after giving up on the world around him.

While suicide is a disastrous matter in itself, and I do hope Manley’s soul rests in peace, my thoughts haven’t been focused on how he died, but rather why he died.

First, you should know that Manley’s death may have come as a shock to some, but it wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision for the 60-year-old man.

Manley spent 14 months planning before he deliberately ended his life on his birthday. His actions were detailed on a website he created as a memoir of his death more so than his life.

Within the website, Manley noted that he didn’t commit suicide for any reason one might typically commit the act for.

He did not suffer from depression; he was in good health. He wasn’t married at the time of his death and didn’t have any children. He was simply tired of what he felt was a monotonous day-to-day routine that came with growing older and seeing tragedies happen around him, such as the Oklahoma tornadoes and the Boston bombings.

Among the reasons he stated to justify his suicide, Manley repeatedly returned to the notion that he absolutely did not want to grow old, wither and die in such a way that was out of his control.

After reading that in his memoir, I realized that Manley didn’t just lose faith in the world around him – he also lost faith in himself.

Although he may not have left behind much family, he did abandon the chance for great opportunities to arise in the remainder of his life.

Just as Manley had, we each are allowed such limited time in this world. While we mustn’t forget that disasters will happen in that time, we also can’t forget that life goes on.

It is silly to spend the small amount of time we have worrying about what could go wrong instead of recognizing the potential of each opportunity.

While Martin Manley may have done great things in his time living, I believe that he cheated himself and took life for granted. Who knows what would have been in store for him next?

If he would have waited to take his life until his 61st birthday, would something so wonderful happen to him in that extra year that would make him realize he wanted to stay here as long as he could after all?

In his online memoir, Manley described how he felt suicide was necessary because the action was completely up to him. The choice was all his.

His reasoning, in this case, is one I could relate to my argument. It’s logic which holds true for everybody.

The choice is all yours – are you going to succumb to the unexpected disasters which may arise in your life, or are you going to take each day, each opportunity you’re given and make it great?

The world is full of disaster; it always has been. While each day may hold the potential for adversity, it has just as much, if not more potential to be amazing.

Do yourself a favor and take life’s tribulations with a grain of salt.

Don’t take for granted the limited time each of us is given. You are the only one who gets to decide whether that time is great or not.