September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness month. Suicide is a topic that is difficult for many to talk about, because unfortunately numerous individuals have been affected by suicide and have experienced the pain that lingers forever following this tragedy. But I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that this issue is discussed. We MUST be aware of the magnitude of this problem and do everything in our power to prevent it from growing; and in order to do that, we MUST talk about it. Suicide is currently one of the top ten leading causes of death in the United States, and that's a tragedy in itself. My heart breaks every time I think about the fact that so many individuals across the country have felt so alone, so worthless, so hated, so depressed, so broken, that ending their life was the only way to escape the overwhelming problems of reality. We NEED to do something different, people! We must change the way we treat others, and look at the world with a broader, more optimistic perspective. People need to feel loved and accepted, and in today's culture, people tend to be self-centered and judgmental towards others. I wholeheartedly believe that people are inherently good, but I also believe that the world we currently live in can destroy the good in people. So I encourage you to join me, and challenge yourself this month by thinking less of yourself and thinking more of others. Don't get so caught up in your own life that you forget to check up on the people you love. Be present in the lives of your loved ones, be kind to strangers, smile more! You truly never know what people are going through internally.

My sophomore year of high school I met someone who changed my life forever; and this person's name is Zack McCorkle. I knew who Zack was prior to my sophomore year, he was a pretty popular guy around Jenks High School. But due to the enormity of JHS, I had never been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to personally get to know him until this point. We had two classes together sophomore year--Algebra 2 and English, and we became fast friends. Zack was one of the those people that it's impossible not to like; he had this charisma that drew people to him. He was insanely smart, athletic, kind, funny, and easily one of the most down to earth people I have ever had the pleasure of calling my friend. As the year progressed, Zack and I's friendship continued to grow and we became great friends. We talked about life, offered each other advice when needed, and we always stressed about upcoming school assignments or tests together. Zack had his bad days, just like any other person does, but the majority of the time I always thought he seemed to be genuinely happy. Unfortunately, this happiness turned out to be a mask he used to hide the pain he was battling inside.

On May 21, 2013, everything changed. Zack hadn't been in 2nd hour that morning; but I hadn't thought much of it, I figured I'd see him later in 5th hour when I went to English. I was wrong. As I was sitting in 4th hour that afternoon, I received news via social media that broke my heart into a million pieces. I was scrolling through the news feed on my Twitter app when I came across tweets that read "RIP Zack", "Fly High Zack", and I couldn't even begin to process what I had just read. It couldn't be about Zack...not my friend Zack. He's happy, I just saw him yesterday and we sat together in English. He was smiling, laughing, and cracking jokes just like normal! He's fine...he has to be fine...everything is fine. I tried to convince myself it wasn't real. I left school bawling uncontrollably, and I could feel my heart breaking in my chest.

My dear friend had taken his own life that morning.

I would never get to see that smile that could light up a room, or hear his contagious laughter again. I would never get to hear his voice, talk to him, or ask for his advice again. Everything had changed; and I was at a complete loss for words. The pain that followed that day was unbearable. I felt like I was living in a dream, and this whole situation and all the pain would disappear as soon as I woke up. But it didn't disappear. A harsh reality slapped me in the face, and I was forced to accept that nothing could change what had happened. I cried everyday for weeks, and the pain still exists in my heart, over three years later. I was beyond blessed to have had the opportunity to get to know Zack and become such great friends with him my sophomore year. His presence in my life will never be forgotten, and the impact he's had on my life will last forever.

I know this is cliche, but suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. So basically what I'm trying to say is...be kind to strangers and check up on your loved ones! It's scary to think about, but you truly never know what battles people are facing internally. Do your part to help people see the good in the world through your presence, your actions, your words. Be a positive force in the lives of others; you have no idea how much of a difference this simple task can make.

In the words of Ghandi-- "BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD"...I plan on doing just that!