Growing up, my parents always did their best to shield and protect me from the evil in the world. At times I felt sheltered and I thought it was unfair when I was unable to do certain things that my friends were able to do. As I got older I began to understand a little bit better why my mom especially was always so cautious and, at times, very overprotective. The world can be cold and frightening at times, and I would say that now in 2016 the world is the most cold and frightening it’s ever been.

You can’t watch the news without feeling sick to your stomach after listening to details of some of the most monstrous acts of violence you’ve ever heard. There are mass shootings happening in malls, movie theaters, and nightclubs just to name a few. Policemen who put their lives on the line everyday are being targeted and killed by the same people they once protected.

Some of the most horrific things have happened this past year, and a lot of lives were lost, but what about the other terrible things that continue to happen day in and day out? What about the 800,000 children who go missing each year? Or the 58,000 that are sexually abused each year? Roughly 34 percent of children that are sexually abused are abused by a family member. I’m sorry, what? You mean the people that are supposed to be the ones that love and protect them?

I read a story the other day about a mother (well, that’s not exactly the word I would use) who was a drug addict. She would allow her drug dealer to come over and sexually assault her eleven year old daughter in exchange for drugs on multiple occasions. I actually felt my chest ache when I read this article. It is certainly not the first awful thing I’ve read about, but with every other terrible thing I’ve been hearing, this was what wore me down. I was confused, sad, and angry, the normal emotions you feel after hearing something like that, however, this story really made me realize just how lucky I am.

I’m not exactly sure what I’ve done to deserve the family that I was given, but what I am sure of is that I never thank them as much as I should. I have a hardworking mother whose goal is to make sure my siblings and I never go without. We all have everything we need, and almost everything we want. My dad is always just a phone call away if we ever need anything from a ride to just a listening ear. I even lucked out with amazing step-parents. My stepdad treats us as if we are his own, and never fails to make sure we know that we can come to him with anything. My dad just recently got married to someone who is constantly surprising me with care packages or a text when I am away at school and feeling homesick. I’m as spoiled as it gets, because it doesn’t stop there. If something were to god forbid ever happen to any of them I know that I have countless family members from grandparents, aunts, uncles, to cousins, that would be there for anything my siblings and I need.

You don’t realize when you’re younger just how unfortunate some people have it. I mean here I am almost 20 years old just now reflecting on the fact that I’ve always had a roof over my head, and I’ve never gone to bed feeling unsafe or unloved, which is sadly way more than some people can say. I mean it from the bottom of my heart when I say this- thank you to my family, friends and all of the good people that fill my life. Thank you for always making me feel safe and happy in a world full of people that make it their mission to do the exact opposite.