It was the year of growing up

It was the year I was thrusted from the sparkly, childlike fairytale I had been encompassed in

into the confusing, grey reality    

It was the year that I learned that good doesn’t always triumph over evil

Sometimes the villains win

Sometimes the guy doesn’t get the girl

And nobody is going to come save you

 

But I also realized that even if happily ever after seems far away

you must never give up the fight’

Never lose your values,

your morals,

your truths

Because it’s the only thing that we truly own

They are what shape us into us

 

But I also learned that we must not turn our backs on compromise

We must listen to the other side

hear what they have to say

And try to understand somebody else’s point of view

No one knows what you’re going through

But you don’t know what other people are going through

 

Everyone is fighting their own invisible battle

Trying desperately to slay their dragon without turning into a pile of ash

And we should be handing them another sword

Fighting alongside them

Not stabbing them in the back

 

2016 was a year full of

Laughter and tears

Joy and frustration

Excitement and fear

 

2016 was a year for the books