The Reflection

Loneliness: destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship and support. It is completely natural for people to feel alone in unfamiliar surroundings. Sometimes it's especially difficult because it seems like that feeling never really goes away. And one thing builds on top of something else and next thing you know, you have an unstable mountain of feelings that you don't know how to express. You miss your friends that are 1,500 miles away. You feel like you have no friends. You feel like you annoy the few friends you do have. You feel like the people you are friends with aren't actually your friends. Is it them or is it me? Am I the problem? What's wrong with me? Is it something I did or said? You look at the reflection in the mirror and all you see is a meek girl staring back at you. All you see is a girl who isn't skinny enough, who isn't pretty enough, who isn't cool enough, who isn't good enough. All you see is a girl who doesn't fit in. All you see is a girl who is completely lost in this world. All you see is a girl who isn't worth anyone's time.

What Doesn't Kill Us Makes Us Stronger

Remembrance. It's an important part of our daily lives. We remember those who caused us pain. We remember those who made us feel loved. We remember singing in the car with best friend. We remember when our parents tried to have "the talk" with us in middle school. We remember what our first kiss felt like. We remember who our first love was and how it felt when we were around them. We remember so much, even at a young age. I was in kindergarten when the airplanes struck the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. Even then, I still remember the panic from everyone surrounding me. I remember the haunting pictures and disturbing videos I saw on TV. They were showed on every single channel. I remember. I also remember the day after. The day after was just as bad as the day itself but unlike the before, everyone was filled with hope. Hope that everything would be okay. I remember flying for several vacations afterwards. I remember the airport security rules becoming more and more strict. I remember having my children's scissors taken out of my Lilo and Stitch backpack and thrown away in the trashcan. I remember being so upset that I couldn't cut out my crayon creations on the plane. I also remember not understanding why they took my scissors away from me. I remember not being able to take my entire bottle of strawberry-scented bubble bath with me in my bag. Remembering is a powerful gift that humans are blessed with. While some of us may not want to remember, we all do. And as painful as some of the memories can be, we need them. They help us to be compassionate and caring and kind. They help us stand tall even when we want to shrink away. Remembering is a key to living life to the fullest. It helps us live 110% everyday. It helps us carry on even when we think we can't anymore. Remembering makes us wiser. Remembering make us stronger. Today, not only do we remember those kind people who were lost on this day, we also remember those who were brave and strong and compassionate enough to lend a helping hand during a dark time.