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.