The month of September has always been a hard month for me and my family. With the memory of our loss on September 11th each year, September has never been easy. This year, however, was particularly hard since it consisted of not only the 15th anniversary of our tragic loss, but two other losses one day after the other. I couldn’t have imagined the feeling of losing two loved ones in one weekend; it’s emotionally and mentally draining to a point that is hard to comprehend. I live 206.9 miles away from home while at school and finding out about losing a loved one when so far from family is harder than I could imagine. I felt so alone and broken, even surrounded by my friends.

It’s so weird when you realize that the world is continuing on around you when you feel as though your world has stopped completely. That week a family member made a comment that really struck me - she told me my family should just rip September out of our calendars for good. This comment left me speechless at the time and later on made me really think. Sometimes, especially this year and most likely next, I will probably want to rip September out of the calendar; but I also know that it isn’t possible. It’s just not how life and time works. So many people, probably including you, would love to just skip a day, a week or a month but you can't; they happen whether you like them or not.

What I've learned over the past few weeks is that being struck with a loss or tragedy, or even just a bad day, you have to make it through and keep going because the world will continue on without you if you don't keep up. No matter what life throws at you, you have to keep going even when it's hard and you're broken. It's okay to cry, break down and grieve for a bit, but eventually you have to pick yourself up, particularly with the help of those around you and keep living your life. For me and my family, September will always be tinged with sadness and tragedy, and will always be a time of remembrance, but who knows what the future holds. We can't just erase what happened, we have to push through even when we feel weak and come out stronger. No matter what you are going through, it may seem like you'll never get out of the slump you're in but you have to pick yourself up; be strong and, as Dory from Finding Nemo says, "just keep swimming."