A companion makes the seas less of a daunting and fearful endeavor. With someone by you, those monsters on the edge of the map become the outlines of new continents, new oceans, and new experiences. With a companion, those uncharted seas become blank pages with which to create a new world – to write a new story.

We can have our ideals and our values. But let them be aspirational and forward-looking and willing to embrace those who were brave enough to change and open enough to evolve over time.

There will be bad times. But there will be good times. So remember. There’s the hard truth – you won’t be happy all the time. Suffering and pain exists. There’s the healing truth – you can overcome, no matter how hard, no matter how dark. Just accept that you can change the things that can be changed, but accept the things that you cannot change. That will save you a lot of anxiety and hurt in life. And finally, the hopeful truth – good things have happened, are happening and will happen. Put things in perspective. Remember to appreciate and live in those moments and to not let the bad things make you miss those opportunities to just be happy.