While at the grocery today, mom was shopping around a little bit to cater for the needs of a couple of relatives (okay, a cousin of mine and his wife). So she's trying to think if we have anything for them to drink back at the house.

Her brow purses as she thinks. "Mountain Dew."
I reply, "Mountain Dew?"
"Didn't they like that the last time they were at our house?"
"I think so."
Mom frowned. "If it isn't what they like, will you drink it?"
My eyes widened a bit, and I paused. "Well, yeah."
A small look of relief blew across her face like a swift breeze. "Oh, good."

Can she really not remember what I like to drink? Is it that hard?

"I'm gonna beat my $%(* like it owes me money!"--Stinky the Grouch, from Chappelle's Show

"Ain't it good to be alive? To feel the strong sun against your face, spills over me like the Milky Way."--Edwin, "Alive"

If I'd known then what I do now.

That line's been used before, and for good reasoning.
I'd like to be able to tell my younger self that some of the most anticipated things you wait for in life aren't all they're cracked up to be, at least not in the way you usually imagine them.
I'd like to be able to tell my younger self that he has a bright, glowing future just down the road a piece.
I'd like to be able to tell my younger self about the time I've spent wishing I'd like to be able to tell my younger self ANYTHING.

There's just been so much death lately, it makes you...

No, we won't go into that stereotypical land of wondering about your own faith or morality or whatever words you find for it.

Car accidents happen, people die, and people get hurt.

The old pass away after their allotted time. Of course, believing in how much time you have is a set amount makes you believe in fate, in which case you shouldn't be shocked by any of this. Because hasn't your idea of fate decreed that these days would come? That you would be here to see them? How can fate exist if you have the free will to believe that this was an accident?