We’re all living stories...

“We’re all living stories.” And let’s face it — every really good story is far from flat. Everybody loves a frightful tragedy. Until, of course, it’s their tragedy or their fright. But who knows all of this scary and tragic shit could be prepping you to tell one hell of a good story? After all, that’s why you belong here.

Yes, the shit we all go through is terrible sometimes. And I'm not denying any of that. It’s just that we’ve all got options even when our choices feel so small.

You belong here in this world despite how hard it seems right now. You belong here with people who love you. Okay, so maybe nobody really loves you right now, you say. But they will. They definitely will!!

I know all about loss and pain. But I don’t believe that any pain is “meant to be.” It is certainly informative. But we get to decide whether or not we’re going to let our wounds go ahead and dictate who we are. Or if we’ll use them to change our life for the better.

I know it isn’t easy. The world will try to break us down into a million pieces and in a hundred different ways. Try not to be discouraged. There’s a place for you in this damn world anyway. You belong here. There’s room for your success as well as your failure.

Even when you’re going through the darkest days that feel longer than you ever could have imagined, hope is not extinct. There is still a place for hope to thrive. There is a way for you to do much more than only survive. If you are breathing, your story is still alive. So let it wander freely.

Every single one of us could live our lives out like a sad sob story. There’s more than enough pain to go around for that. But maybe what nobody ever told you is that you don’t have to be defined by your broken dreams.

There are better things ahead. So, live to see another day, and let your story run free.

-Shivangi Kharbanda