Over the last few months, my small hometown has experienced too many tragic losses of people who barely even got to experience life. It's been heartbreaking to see the entire town mourn the losses of people who were barely adults, barely even my age. In the midst of all of the tragedy, I've realized that we spend all this time planning for a tomorrow that may never come. We are never promised another day, yet we focus all of our energy on carefully laying out our future. From stressing out about whether or not we'll get the grade or the job we want to spending hours worrying over things that won't even matter in a year, we forget how to appreciate what's happening now. In preparing for a day that may never come, we lose sight of the importance of living in the moment before it's gone.

Stay humble.

Whether you're fortunate enough to be very well off or you're barely scraping by, you'll only be buried with one outfit. That's it. You can't take your shiny car or life savings with you. Appreciate the things you have. Be grateful for the things you receive. Don't let pieces of paper and material objects dictate your life. You are more than the things you have. You are the way you carry yourself. You are the way to treat others. You are the person you've worked so hard to be.

Relax!

It's okay for everything not to be perfect all of the time. Things happen, and the world is constantly changing. Believe me when I say, THAT IS OKAY! Your life plan doesn't have to be the exact same one you had when you were fifteen. In fact, it could be completely different. You are continuously evolving into the person you're meant to be. Let it happen, and don't stress out about it.

Be kind to one another.

You really never know what someone is going through. My senior year in high school, I was 3rd in my class, had gotten accepted into every college I applied to, was president of a bunch of different clubs, worked at a good job, and had a great boyfriend and family. Even with all of that, I thought the only way to numb the pain I felt was by putting a bottle of pills to my tear streaked face. We are all fighting our own evils, so don't add to someone's battle. Be the person who is compassionate and uplifting. You never know how important it is to someone who is struggling.

Appreciate the little things.

Remember to celebrate the small victories! You may not have gotten the job, but you put yourself out there and got more interview experience, in the process. Celebrate your growth as a person. You're not the same person you were a year ago, and that's worth something. You deserve it, so TREAT YO SELF!

Remember what's important.

Beyond the money and the material objects, we have each other. Cherish the relationships you form with the people you love. In the end, they are all that really matter, and in an instant, they can be gone. Tell the people you love how you feel, and make unforgettable memories with them. Take in every second of it. You won't regret it.

It can be hard not knowing what's coming next, but whatever is supposed to happen, will happen. Don't miss out on actually living your life because you're just surviving. Travel to the country you've always wanted to see. Try the hobby you've always thought about doing. Become the person that you've always wanted to be. And remember to stop, and breathe it all in.