Hannah S.

Photography by Nyla Butler

If you’re reading this, there is still so much good in this world.

There is so much that I would like to say, but I would rather keep it brief and hope that someone somewhere gets something good out of this.

Your story is still being written, and I am so proud of you for being here. Life is a constant push and pull, beating you down and raising you back up. We are easily absorbed in the negatives we face. We often fail to recognize the positives that occur alongside them. No matter how tough life gets, you have survived each of those hard days, even when you may have thought you would not. I am so proud of you.

I am living proof of making good out of the bad, and I am still here to encourage others to do the same. As someone who was diagnosed with a form of depression, my brain is constantly focused on the negatives. I must consciously choose what I allow myself to be absorbed by, or the negative thoughts will absorb me. If you can take a moment each day to recognize the good that you are surrounded by, even on your worst days, you may start to acknowledge the good in everyday life. When you focus on the good that still exists in this world, the bad seems to become less of a life-or-death centerfold.

You are worthy of healing and being loved. You deserve to feel all the good that this world has to offer. You are worth taking up space in this world, and you have a purpose (although you may not know what it is yet, that is OKAY). You will reflect on all the lows you experienced and thank yourself for holding on because you have so much to do, see, and accomplish. You still have so much life to live, and I am proud of you.

I do not know you, and you do not know me. Everything happens for a reason, and you are still here for a reason. I am so happy you are here and still writing your story. You are never alone, and you have a place in this world. Never stop seeing the good because your world has not ended.

Hannah S., Washington State University

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