Anonymous, 21

Hello to everybody reading this post, Im cassandra (not real name), I will be turning 21 in a couple months. So im here today to share a story that I hope will serve as a beacon of hope to many others out there.

At the age of 16, I was diagnosed with stage 1 colon cancer. The moment the doctor uttered those words, i felt as though it was the beginning of the end. I wept and so did everyone around me, I could barely wrap my head around what just happened. I began to see everything in life through a grey lens, no longer feeling anything, and to be frank sometimes i wished it could all just speed up and end already. 

Things changed when i was at the hospital one fine day, sat beside me was a child, no more than 6 years old, diagnosed with the same illness as me, but what was different was how she could still smile while in so much pain, I could see her parents holding back tears every time she laughed. This made me think, if she, a child could put on a smile just because she knows it would please her parents, why cant i show a little more gratitude towards life. Not everything is bad, and the people around me.......