Dear Everyone,

I'm not going to lie to you all, I was going to write an article this week entirely about dogs, but in light of some recent events and some recent realizations I decided to go in a different direction (don't worry the dog article is still coming). On June 12th 2016 one of the deadliest mass shootings in America took place. 49 lives were taken, and countless others were altered forever. This heartbreaking tragedy occurred due to the deep-seeded hatred embedded in one individual. A hatred of himself, and the people around him.

It disheartens me that someone could live everyday with that much hate in their heart. No one may truly ever know the reasons for why he did what he did, but what we do know for sure is that each person in that club that night had a life, a family, opportunities to do better for themselves and he took that from them.

I remember the word hate and dislike always being very sour words in my mouth, when I was younger I tried really hard to dislike someone, but every time I thought I did I would learn something about them or they would do something that caused me to change my mind. I remember the feeling of relief I felt when I didn't hate them anymore.

Hatred is exhausting let me tell you. I'm not saying you should never be angry, of course be angry, be sad, be happy feel what you need to feel but don't let hatred consume you, because once it does you aren't you anymore you become someone else.

Cruelty is something that is eminent all over the world, and it is a fact that a lot of people wish to ignore. My hope for the world is that humanity is not reflective of the tragedies that occurred that fateful day, or the tragedies that occur everyday all over the world. I don't think that every person in the world will be nice to each other one day, that would be amazing but unfortunately unrealistic.

What I hope for is simple, I hope we begin to take pride in the small kindnesses we perform instead of the hurtful things we may do or say. I hope when we don't like someone it's because of who they are character wise not who they love. I hope we all begin to live with more love in hearts than hate.

A love of life, all it has to offer, and all the people in it. A lot of people say people are inherently good the world is what makes them bad. I disagree with that, I believe the world is an inherently good place, we as people are the ones that mess it up.

But that being said, we as people have the power to change it. It' a scientifically proven fact that change is possible and inevitable. Whether that change be good or bad is up to us. So I challenge all of you to live your lives with kindness, with appreciation, with love, and with respect, and maybe a better world will lie ahead.

Love, Sumi

My heart goes out to all those effected by the Orlando shooting