Dear 2016:

Others may have already written to you expressing their grievances toward much of what you have done to humanity. Unlike some, I write to you to express gratitude.Yes, I acknowledge that you may have questioned my friendly nature, but after all the bad you have plagued upon us, we as humanity have learned about ourselves. We have especially learned of our ability to continue to grow in strength, unity, and in resilience.

2016, you were undeniably mean; however for all the harm you have done to us, you have not succeeded. It may have been your intention to break us down, but we came back stronger than ever before. We can prove you wrong.

You have plagued us with political unrest.

Unrest spans the globe. Nations with unsteady leadership and nations with unsteady atmospheres are always among us. Yet, 2016 you presented us with disunity for two nations whose global presence have the ability to cause domino effect for the rest of the world. You challenged us with Brexit. Perhaps this was a warning of yours to be wary of sensationalism, hysteria, or the general nature of polarizing partisan politics. Brexit challenged unity not just in the United Kingdom, but in the European Union and the globe. That vote showed us what man is capable of doing. But it also showed us the need to preserve unity, diplomacy, and the general welfare of the world.

As for the United States, 2016 again, you showed us the ability of man to practice politics in a most atypical way. You demonstrated the rise to power of an individual of questionable character. The rise to power of an individual whose statements reflect additional harm to the progress of humanity. It has made us question our own safety for both now and the future.

Nevertheless both were political events that cannot be reversed, and further political change can be administered in following elections. Yes, we may have lost sight and lost confidence after them, but we must take a stand in any way we can to challenge that authority in the best way possible. You showed us we do have power. We can go out and serve our fellow man through service. We can do good for where we live and support the causes we believe in through charity, both monitory and time. We can reach out to our representatives through, writing, demonstrations, and everything in between. All of this can be done as we wait for the next election cycle.

You have plagued us with mass tragedies.

Tragedies can come in all shapes and sizes. Your preference seemed to be violence. Violence was rampant across the globe pinning man against man. The bloodshed of human life extended from San Bernardino, California to Orlando, Florida. Orlando marked the attempt to persecute other individuals, deprive them of their right to life and their right to pursue happiness. Although lives were lost, you failed to realize how strong humanity responded to unify in support of their fellow man despite race, ethnicity, sexuality, or creed. In the form of police brutality on citizens and the murders of police officers, you again attempted to challenge man's inalienable rights, but did you not realize that the proliferation of such events would only make us more aware and more devoted to stopping it? You tried once more through acts of terrorism. You tried in the Middle East, in Brussels and Paris. You have shown us the horrors that man is capable of through the terror in Aleppo. We have seen the innocent dying as the left attempt to live in an unstable environment. Yet, you failed. You failed to break our spirits. You failed to break our passion. Each tragedy only made us more angry, more dedicated to fighting the evil in the world.

You plagued us with loss of our heroes.

Celebrities, when all is said an done are just people. Yet, some individuals in our society have been given the status of leaders and icons whose beliefs, ideals, and talents we identify with. 2016, you took from us David Bowie and his groundbreaking persona, lyrics, and presence. 2016, you took form us Glenn Frey, Prince, Alan Thicke, George Michael and George Martin. These musical masterminds created songs that took our breaths away. They made us reflect on life and encouraged us to enjoy it. Despite their losses, we will follow their messages and embrace life. 2016, you stole from us athletes who epitomized perseverance and devotion in Muhammad Ali, who triumphed in standing up for what he believed in. You stole other athletic legends in Gordie Howe and Arnold Palmer but that did not stop us from remembering their impact on the game. 2016, you stole from us those who revolutionized film, theater, and television to establish it furthermore as a means of expression in Doris Roberts, Debbie Reynolds, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Gene Wilder, Alan Rickman and Florence Henderson. You stole Carrie Fisher, a pioneer in mental health activism. You stole from us figures who embodies the human spirit from John Glenn to Harper Lee. You stole from us many more. Too much more. These individuals were our heroes in many of our lives. Their loss left us with an emptiness within ourselves as part of our selves left with them. Despite you taking them away from us 2016, their work remains alive and well.

So as they are our heroes, we can take comfort and draw inspiration from the quote, "We can be heroes . .. just for one day."

The loss of heroes shows us that anyone can be a hero. We all are left with a similar fate to live and then to die. True and morbid as it may be, we are also left with the fate of leaving our mark on humanity no matter how great or small. The loss of these individuals shows us that.

We can be heroes. We can change the world. Whether that be as simple as volunteering in a local shelter to joining the Peace Corps. We can progress humanity. 2016, it is in all this mess of tragedies that you have gifted to us that we humans have become stronger and more resilient. 2016 you have failed in your mission to crush us. We will prove, just as before, that we as humanity will remain united, strong, and determined to live in harmony. Despite your forceful attempts, we will continue to embrace life and move forward.

Sincerely,

A human