I remember very vividly on my first day of high school everyone telling me that it would be the best four years of my life; they weren't. Even though these four years of my life weren't the best years of my life I can say that I definitely learned a lot like how the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell or how there is tons and tons of symbolism in The Great Gatsby. Yes, I learned many things but there has only been one major takeaway that I got out of high school and it was something that I didn't even learn in a classroom.

I went to a Catholic high school and there was this retreat offered to juniors and seniors called Kairos. Basically during this retreat I heard several witness talks by fellow students and faculty. The main purpose of these talks was to ensure everyone that they are lovable (because God don't make junk!) and that they are never alone even when it may seem like they are. Simply just hearing these talks left a major imprint on the way I would continue to show love towards myself, others, and God. I never in a million years thought I would ever give a witness talk, I thought I had learned enough by listening, but sure enough I was grateful and blessed with the opportunity to do so. The talk I gave was specifically about 'Love' and how love is not just the big things but also the little things. There was one moment throughout my entire talk that I will never forget; I read a quote that stated, "Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire."

As I read this out loud to my classmates I looked around the room at each and every one of them and I could tell simply by looking at them that the message was well received. They knew, not just from my talk but from all the talks, that they are each capable of both giving and receiving love. It was in that moment that I felt as though what I was saying was actually impacting people...and it was.

So now that I've gone over this very important part of my life, what exactly was my takeaway?

My most important takeaway from high school was that no matter what gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation you are, everyone is capable of both receiving and giving love and no one is alone. Everyone is their own unique person with their own unique story; show love to everyone because you never know what they are going through.

LT4