There is a quote that goes, "Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always." Some people hide their battles better than others. I have seen this quote many times and have always liked it, but when you witness firsthand what this quote is saying, it hits much closer to home. People who have always seemed happy and content can be hiding deep down all their insecurities and struggles, ones that you never even knew existed. Once they are revealed it can be shocking that they were fighting this battle that you had no idea about. That is the living experience of this quote. This has happened to me, and when it did, I realized how completely oblivious we are to many things going on in people lives.

Everyone has things about themselves they wish were different. Whether that be a physical characteristic, a fear, or aspects of their personality, everyone wishes something was different. Some people make it more known to others what they wish was different, and others hide it so well you'd think they were the most confident person in the world. We can never really understand what someone else is feeling because we are all individuals with feelings all our own. We can be kind. Be kind to those who can't hide it and those who can, because many times the ones who have trained themselves to hide it so well are the ones struggling the most.

Being kind doesn't always mean talking in kind words; sometimes all the kindness someone needs is a kind touch, a listening ear, and the knowledge that you are there. Everyone's battles are significant in there own way. Pain is not a competition. It is not fair to yourself to think that just because your pain is not as severe as someone else's doesn't make it any less. Pain is pain. It comes in many different forms. Don't count your pain as insignificant compared to the pain others suffer. You feel what you feel. It is not meant to be compared. We try to do the best we can in life. Each person is living a different life with different experiences. Not one person is exactly the same. Don't count your pain or someone else's as any less. Acknowledge it and do the best you can each and every day to work through the pain. Take it a day at a time and never give up.

Many times in life we have one or two negative things happen and all of a sudden we can't sleep at night because the pain that was inflicted can't be forgotten. Yet by doing this we forget all the amazing things that have happened, or the lives that we touched and touched us. We let the negatives overpower all the joy we felt. When in reality there has been so much more joy than negativity. Remember who you are and why people love you. Hold on to the good stuff. The bad stuff happens to even the best people. We have to work through it and remember the good stuff. Remember the love that was shared, the laughs, and the kindness. Be kind always.