There are a lot of things in my life that I wish I could do better. So many days I feel inadequate. I should have studied harder, been stronger, or whatever other flaw I throw at myself in that moment. If I could make a list of things I've learned in the past year the most important one is that despite these feelings of these inadequacies, doing the best that you can is the most courageous thing you can do.

If you have a Facebook, I'm sure you get just as annoyed with your memories as I do (the last thing I want to be reminded of is selfies I took my sophomore year of high school). A little over a year ago, we almost lost my mom, but by the grace of God we didn't. That was my Facebook memory, a post of thanksgiving for an answered prayer. This past year has been hard. Looking back on it now I don't know how I managed to juggle all of the stress, pain, and worries, let alone succeed at getting past any of those hurdles. I just wanted to make it out alive. I did the best I could, and I was strong. We all were.

There will come a time when you will look back and realize that by just getting up in the morning you have done the bravest thing you might have ever done. This is for all of you who don't think that you will make it to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Because whether you know it or not, you are going to make it. And just by living, you are being an inspiration to someone, that battle you are fighting does not go unnoticed. So continue to be strong through the sleepless nights and stressful days. Because in the end we all carry around our own baggage and we are all doing the best we can. At the end of the day, that's all that matters.

It's hard, and it's messy, but it's worth it when one day you can say you did the best you can and truly know that it was. We never really stop having to fight for the rain to stop, but I think the most beautiful thing in life is learning to dance in the rain and realizing that maybe it's a good thing.