I know that life is awful sometimes. I know that occasionally, you get kicked down so hard that the idea of getting back up makes you want to vomit. I understand. It's horrible, and you just want to put a stop to the madness. I know that you have days when not even God himself could tell you that you are needed on earth, and I know how that feels. Sometimes the trouble just does not seem worth it. No one can tell you enough how beautiful you are, or how loved you are.

Sometimes you have 3 a.m. sadness moments. When you don't have anyone but your thoughts, and you know that you will be up until dawn thinking about how much it hurts. You're trapped inside your head, and we both know it's not a good place to be. I know all of these things. Sometimes you have panic attacks so bad that you scare the hell out of your best friend, and somehow form a closer friendship in a span of 15 minutes. I get it. I know that when you're struggling to stay above water, it feels like it's easier to drown.

I hate that I feel the need to write this, because it's happened so many times. I hate that you don't see your worth like I do. I hate that when you look in the mirror, sometimes you don't see yourself. I hate it. I hate everything that ever made you feel less than perfect. It truly pains my heart that you have moments when you're done. It takes my breath away, and it makes me want to punch a hole in the wall when I think about all the other times you have felt like this, that I couldn't help you.

The 3 a.m. sadness moments can overshadow other times. It can seem like the end of the world before it's even begun, but I want you to take a minute.

Take a minute. Take the deepest breath you have ever taken, and think about the 4 p.m. happiness. Think about every time you laughed about an inside joke. Think about every time you said I love you. Replay every time you heard I love you. Dig down deep inside you, and grasp the times that you looked in someone's eyes and saw yourself. Please, I am begging you, if you ever feel like this again, to pretend it's four o'clock in the afternoon. Pick a day at that time, and remember the good. Try not to dwell in the darkness, because that makes the light hurt your eyes. Open your mind to rediscovering the beauty in life. Remember what it was like before someone or something took it away, and made you think you didn't deserve it.

God has so many plans for you. He has picked out your spouse and your children. He has a whole life ahead of you, and you're worried about right now. Please, don't close your book yet. Because you have so many readers anxiously awaiting the outcome. You are the hero in your story, and what are your sidekicks supposed to do if you're gone? I know these are all terrible puns, but I figure a bit of humor will help this situation.

So, here is your sign. You have made it this far. You have made it so far. You didn't defeat puberty, high school boys, all that stupid homework, and college applications for nothing. You are loved, and you are beautiful. Most importantly, you are you, and we need you here.