A recent tragedy in my hometown has been dwelling on my heart, which has led me to this. Putting pen to paper (or putting my fingers to the keyboard in my case), to remind students of what’s important. YOU are important.

I understand that this topic is difficult to discuss, but it’s even more difficult to witness. Just because it isn’t talked about doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. It does, and it’s very real.

High school is such a small part of your life. Four years. Four years is the amount of time the average student spends in High School. The average lifespan in the U.S. is 78 years. Four divided by 78 is around .05. That comes to 5%. 5% of your life is spent in High school. Please, do not let this small part of your life define you. I can promise that it gets easier. High School can either be the easiest time of your life, or the hardest. It is what you make it, so try to make it better.

High school can be hard, I recognize that. You’re in school for eight hours. It sucks. Teachers send you home with homework, so you actually learn something. Then there is your home life, who knows what that is like. For some, school is better than being at home. High school is a very hard time, but it’s only four years. 5% of your life, make the rest of it better. It can get better. It will get better.

You are important, I promise. You are loved.

Ask for help if you need it. Friends, teachers, and other members of the community care. Speak up. Sometimes no one knows your struggling unless you say something. If you need someone to talk to and have no one, please talk to me. I’m very bad at giving advice, but I promise to listen. Whatever you’re going through, I can promise that you can get through it. Ending your life is not the answer. You are so full of worth, you are exploding with worth. Your life is important.

You are important, you are loved.

Be careful what you say to people, you never know what they are going through. Everything you say, say with kindness. Being kind to each other can go farther than you would think. It isn’t always who you would expect. The happiest person can be a victim of their own mind. It isn’t always the students who are bullied, it can be anyone. It can happen to anyone. Don’t ever think “it’s just a joke” or “he/she wouldn’t do that” because you never know. It is impossible to get inside other’s heads, and that’s the only way you could know. Words can go a long way. Asking someone how they are doing, can go a long way.

You are so loved, you are so important.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for support, for free.