Dear 2016,

I am not sure if you are aware but you have a mighty rough reputation right now. You have brought chaos, trouble, and death. You took iconic people from our lives. You have wreaked havoc on innocent souls. You have brought changes that are life-threatening, life-changing, and life-ending. You are a year of anger, sadness, and desperation. It is easy to say that a lot of people are not very happy with you and no one can blame them.

Even with as much hell that you have brought, I refuse to walk away from you with anything but a smile and gratitude. To start off with the basics, I am glad that I was granted the opportunity to live. Whether I woke up to a hard day or a beautiful day, I am thankful for waking up. Not everyone received that opportunity and I believe many people forget that. You took lives, yes. You also gave lives meaning, a new start, and happiness. I am grateful for those random gleams of light in the middle of a storm. 2016, you also taught me strength. I lost a lot this year and damn did you make it hard to see the sun on some days, but you taught me to grab myself off the ground and power through. It hasn't been easy a lot of the time, but I needed to know that I can get through the hard days just as often as I can get through the wonderful days. You provided me the confidence to strap back up and kick ass. 2016, you gave me a voice. You showed me devastation and I replied with outrage. I learned that my voice matters. I learned that my opinions and passions mean something in this world. I did not back down, I stood taller. A lot of people stood taller because of you. You pointed loaded guns and we did not blink, only smiled. Because of you, 2016, many people know that we can be the change this world needs to see. You gave us the chance to be something in a time where everything is needed. Most of all 2016, you showed me bravery. You presented me with people that made me into this fierce, determined, and courageous woman. You gave me exactly who I needed when I needed them. You have shown me what true love is like. The true love in form of friends, family, and happiness. For that, I thank you.

I will not forget the turmoil you brought with you, but I will also remember that you gave me everything I needed to face life head on and come out stronger. You were a year. A year that has brought love, anger, sadness, happiness, death, birth, and change. You have prepared us to walk into 2017 ready for anything and confident that we will survive. Cheers to you, 2016. Won't say I will miss you, but you will always have a place in my heart.

In the words of Prince, "There's always a rainbow at the end of every rain."

Bring on the rainbow, 2017.

Sincerely,

A new person, thanks to you