AReflection on Things I Am Grateful For This Year

2016 has not been an easy year.

I had not realized how impactful it had been until I had a talk with a friend over breakfast not that long ago and she asked, “Was 2016 good to you?”

The new year signifies a new start for many people or another chance to reflect and do things differently. I, like many others, started the year with hopefulness that with a new year it would bring enjoyable new opportunities and experiences. The start of my year was good to me, but the other half was not. However, I realized that I could not allow my life to be dictated by the bad moments. That life was a lot more than just sadness and therefore, I would like to mention a few things for which I was grateful for in 2016.

• My family: whose endless support, laughter, and motivation gives me the will to continue onward in my journey.
  
• My friends: whose company I have learned cannot be found in just any other place.
  
• The sunsets and sunrises: whom have brought peace with a beautiful end of the day and the feeling of hope of another day with the sunrise.
  
• Social Media: For it’s connection to so many others in this world and its ability to bring together a community of strangers with similar interests and a common need to bring a change in this world.
  
• For Social Activists: who put their lives on the line at times to bring justice to those who are in need of it.
  
• For death: because it made me realize just how precious life really is.
• For Coffee: for always being a source of comfort and help for late-into-the-night assignments.
  
• For Art: whom without the world would seem a little bleaker to live in.
  
• and for God: for always being the source of peace and force of silence strength whenever life feels like too much to handle.