Dear Hurt Friend,

"You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space," said Johnny Cash.

Failure can hurt. The first step to ever overcoming the fall is to admit to yourself that you failed. Being blunt with yourself may hurt yet being truthful to yourself erases the space that your heart and soul leave behind for the lies to fill. You can fight. You can scream and you can even stop caring. Nonetheless, when you feel like the world is closing in on you. When your mistakes have consumed all the light that is supposed to make you want to feel alive. Imagine yourself in front of the little 7-year-old you used to be. Looking into his or her eyes and telling them that you will make mistakes and you will give up. Can you do that? I challenge you to look into those eyes and find that little piece inside of you that dreamed such a beautiful dream. Find the courage that gave you the inspiration to hold on to all that you have and race to the epitome of the best you can ever be. It is easy to call it quits. Ending it all and just forgetting everything. When those thoughts run through your mind think about all the people that love you and care about you. Somebody does care about you. You are loved. You always will be loved. Never forget that.

The world got something wrong. We are not all part of some grand scheme of whatever it is you were told. We all have our own little stories. Stories that define us. Not with the mistakes we make but what we do with those mistakes to make our tale epic. No matter who you are, where you come from or what mistakes you have made, you have a voice. You have a choice. You don't like the person staring at you in the mirror. Here is your chance. Wipe the slate clean and fight to change that image that haunts you. Be the warrior that you want to be.

There are so many people that have risen from the ashes. Abraham Lincoln, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and even Micheal Jordan. Giving up is the biggest failure of all. Because when you give up you are failing at giving yourself a chance to do better. You want to mend the mistakes, Live for yourself. Love others. Also, most importantly laugh through all the tears. Someone once told me that one day you will laugh as much as you have cried. Let those tears out and live the memories that God, You and your life have in store for you. If you never give up they will not give up on you.

You are so loved,

Your Concerned Stranger