Like most people, I have been through a lot in my life. Sometimes when I sit back and think, I realize I probably have been through more than most people can handle. Looking back, I can see that not only did I make it through life's toughest obstacles, but going through them made me a better person today.

When I was only 8 years old my mom passed away from cancer. This was the start of a very hard childhood. It was difficult for me to grow up without a mom and even more difficult for me to spend my childhood wishing she was still there. I still miss her today and still wish she was here, but going through that at such a young age made me realize how important it is to be close to the people you care about. I learned to always make sure the people you love know just how much you love them. Always be there for them and always cherish the moments and memories because you never know what can happen.

After dealing with the death of my mom, I had to deal with the deaths of many other people I cared about. I lost friends, family, and people I grew very close to. I felt like I was going to lose everyone I loved, that it was inevitable. Going through this series of events made me compassionate. It made me care about everyone around me and want to help the people who felt the same way I did, that they had no one. This led me to go on countless mission trips to lend my hand to everyone who needed it. Traveling around the world and helping others made me grow as a person because I learned the importance of being kind-hearted to others, no matter who they were.

However, while going through losing so many people, I didn't learn these things right off the bat. I did them subconsciously, but it wasn't until later when I realized what exactly I was doing. To be honest, after going through all of this, I went through a time of depression. All of it was just so hard for me to handle, so I shut down. I never felt happy, I never wanted to do anything but lay in bed, and I never thought any of it was going to get better. It took me a while to realize what I was going through, so I never really got the help that I needed. I learned mostly how to deal with it myself because I didn't know how to talk about it to others. This forced me to find the positive side of things. To always focus on the good. To always recognize the things I do have, rather than the things I don't. Getting through depression made me a more positive person and taught me to look on the bright side, even in the toughest times.

Now that I am an adult, I can look back and realize that going through life's trials has made me a better person. Truthfully, I am not happy about the circumstances I was in when I was younger, but I am content with how I made something out of them. I would not be the person I am today without getting through the battles I faced and I wouldn't want to be anyone else. I can now reflect on why I was put through these hard times and how I am a stronger person because of it.