Tomorrow

Imagine a tomorrow, far different from today

Where love is the only King, 

And children jump and play.

Now I'm not talking jump and play with whites on whites

Or blacks on blacks 

Or blues on blues 

You crazy fools.

I'm talking swing-sets filled with rainbow children who are color blind to society's subsets 

Imagine a tomorrow, far different from today

Where people are rated on intellect,

Not sex appeal or willingness to obey.

Where everyone is given the choice to love and be loved by whoever they please,

Not just settle for the one who will provide them the nicest set of car keys.

Imagine a tomorrow, far different from today 

Where a man can cry without being called gay, 

And a woman can wear a short dress without wanting to get laid.

Where gender stereotypes never existed, 

and people could be people without layers of labels attempting to convince them that individuality should be resisted. 

Imagine a tomorrow, far different from today

Where secret plans to kill the so-called enemy weren't constantly underway,

And people learned that forgiveness may be the only way to save the day. 

Where innocent civilians weren't harmed as a result of their government's false alarms, 

And walls no longer divided two groups that should in fact be united. 

Imagine a tomorrow, far different from today

Where people didn't need to be constantly reminded that everything is going to be okay, 

And we were able to accept the fact that beauty isn't only found on the runway. 

Where people wanted to live

More than they wanted to die

And so many young souls didn't have to say goodbye. 

But what if this tomorrow isn't so different from today? 

What if everyone began to think about the things they wanted to change,

Before they leave this world one day? 

If we all do our part

May it be big or small

We will start to see that many drops of water create a waterfall. 

Humanity's existence is a miracle that deserves to be celebrated,

So let's use this short time on earth to do something that is quite underrated...

Let's change our reality

And alter the mentality

That dreamers and wishful thinkers are suffering from irrationality. 

Heed this call and don't you dare stall, 

Because now is the time to ask yourself this my dear kin: 

"How can I make this a world that I'm proud to live in?" 

Today is the one-year anniversary of my cousin Andrew's suicide. He was genuinely one of the most amazing people I have ever met, as he always thought of others before himself and showed compassion for his friends and family. Andrew was loved by all those who knew him, but unfortunately he was unable to recognize his importance; he couldn't see his place in society, and decided that the easiest way to escape his depression was to kill himself. I am sure we can all relate to Andrew's feelings of being overwhelmed by the pressures of the world and not understanding where exactly we fit in. However something we must all remember is that each and every one of us has a purpose. One unique sperm and one unique egg combined to form a unique YOU, and there is no one else out there that could possibly take your place. The mere existence of humanity is something that deserves to be celebrated, and so we should always take some time to celebrate ourselves and those around us. In honor of my cousin, please text or call a loved one right now and tell them how much they mean to you. The world can be cruel, so please commit this act of kindness to show those around you that they are loved. Hang in there beautiful people, and never forget that you are here for a reason. <3

You may ask yourself: why is the world unfair? Why are teenagers committing suicide? Why are black people still segregated against? Why are innocent children killed in school shootings? Why do people feel the need to kill? Why do the worst things happen to the best people? These are questions that I find myself asking daily. I see a homeless man begging for money on the street and I can't help but wonder why he has been dealt such bad cards in this poker game we call life. I turn on the television to see flickering images of another attack in the West Bank, and I can't help but question how two groups of people could possibly hate each other so much. Looking around at our world, it's easy to find faults in humanity. However when you look beyond the surface, it becomes evident that the world is truly an amazing place. A war veteran reuniting with their family after many years of waiting, a loving couple exchanging vows on their wedding day, a man buying food for a homeless woman on a cold night, a senior standing up for a freshman that is being bullied in the hallway...these are all incredible things that the world overlooks in their frustrations at the latest news story. It is important to remember that the sun is always shining, we just have to be willing to look for it behind the storm clouds.