For the past few weeks, I’d reached an all time low and became so overwhelmed with the corrupt actions and carelessness in the world that surrounded me. The idea of “living in the moment” has turned into recklessness and only brews for chaos. The thought of love has been diluted and foreseen as something overwhelmingly wicked that no teenager dare fall into. But love is not a trap. It is not something that “steals your freedom” or is meant to hurt.

Love is the only thing strong enough to drive out the hateful words and actions this world desperately promotes. People are always moving; hands greedy for more and eyes always searching for something bigger. There is no room for appreciation when there is no time for stillness. We must open our eyes to smaller things and see beauty in things that happen naturally and effortlessly. Flowers grow through cracked soil and through sidewalk concrete– overcoming adversity everyday, yet we still pick them and rid them of their beauty. The sun peeks through dark clouds, giving hope to the earth for calmness– but, in a hurry, we throw on sunglasses and pray the rays leave soon. The earth is so kind to us, but we are blinded by the familiarity of it that we no longer appreciate what it has done.

Open your eyes and learn to be still. Become at peace with nature and the healing it promotes to you with no expectation for return. In this you will find how closely linked to nature humans are, and how beautiful it is to grow through the cracks of your own soil.