I thought I knew who I was in high school. And with that, I thought I knew you too. Because of what you did or who you hung out with or who you dated, I thought I knew you. This book made Netflix series made me realize that I didn't know you at all. I may have seen you smile or heard your laugh, but I never understood your soul. I may have said hi or not, but I don't know what difference that made to you. I know how certain instances made me feel, but how you took that, it could have been anything.
At graduation, I realized how many people I had never seen before. Did people say the same about me? What came to mind when my name came out of someone's mouth? Did my face in the halls make you divert your glance or did association force you to smile softly before looking back at your feet? I'll never know.
You think you're observant. You think you can tell when someone is different or off. A simple glimpse in the hall and you know. But gosh you don't. What's going through their head, what do they need most right now, do you ask or keep walking?
No matter who you were in high school in your mind, all we cared about was how people saw us. What was our label, who were our friends, what impression did we leave on people? Everything you wore, every nickname you took on, it all seemed so important to us. And if it didn't seem like a big deal to some of us, it may have been everything to someone else.
Thirteen Reasons Why was a popular read when I was in junior high and its production into a real life series has brought back themes that we forget or don't address today, but need to. Hannah Baker's story is so relevant, and while some may find her dramatic, her misunderstood, all too real thoughts are shared with so many kids, teens, and adults. More personally, your friends and family may take on such struggles without you having any knowledge of it.
Everything you do, every life you touch, word you say or don't, opinion, and action does something. While those ideas may apply to the other side of the Hannah situation, the bystanders and friends, what we really have to look at is Hannah. She could be anyone, she could be you or me. Though she chose to make her choice based on the 13 reasons why she should, here are 13 reasons why you shouldn't.
1. Some part of your day, if not multiple parts, are important to someone.
2. Your presence gives someone happiness.
3. The smallest thing can change everything.
4. Not everything you hear is true.
5. Not everything you think is true.
6. Bad days happen to the best.
7. Good things are contagious.
8. Talking is an option.
9. Listening is an answer.
10. You can't control the way people view you but you can choose to improve it.
11. Voicing your burden not only may help you, but someone else as well.
12. Any quantity of fear can be battled.
13. That doesn't have to be done alone.
These are just a few reasons I thought up in less than fifteen minutes. This doesn't include the specific people that give you reasons to live. This doesn't include your goals and dreams for a future. This doesn't include any other part of your life that holds importance to you or someone else. Even though one thing may feel like it is so much worse than every single one of these reasons combined, there is always, always, always a solution in the form of a person, action, or thing. This may be my list, but everyone has one.
You may think you know someone, but their list may be full of overwhelming should's instead of should not's. We just don't know, but we can do everything in our power to be someone's should not. Know that everything you do matters, to someone else and in your own life.
This isn't just high school; people foster feelings at all ages. All our lives we'll think we know people but never really know what's going on in their mind. If people aren't willing or ready to share, just be there for them, be a genuinely nice person, and look at the littlest things. If people do share their feelings with you, know at what point you should tell someone else and keep yourself educated about how to respond in the right manner.
If you haven't watched Thirteen Reasons Why, I highly suggest it. It may just encourage you to take a second look at the way you interact and treat people. Because honestly, it could change everything for someone.
