BY HANNAH MCCLUSKEY

Life will never be perfect. No matter who you are, you will constantly have to deal with hardships in your life – some immense, some small, some major and some minor. So it’s not the fact of the hardship, or even the extent of one. What all hardships will really come down to is how you overcome them and what you take from them. A lesson learned through pain or struggle will surprisingly, yet inevitably, make the biggest impression in your life.

With the recent lose of a long-time, dearly beloved North Kitsap student, I felt it important to vocalize how significant the healing after a hardship can be and how such traumatic events can actually lead to hope. Big or small, any hardship will take a lot out of you, physically and emotionally. Whether getting stood up for a date, having someone you trust take advantage of you, or losing someone close, a hardship is a hardship no matter how you slice it.

It may be impossible to fathom, but a hardship is not only a terrible thing, you have to see the good in it too; a hardship is put on you to help you realize certain things about yourself and the world around you. A hardship will knock you off your feet and take the breath out of your chest, but it will also show you the tremendous strength you encompass, the love that surrounds you, and the amazing ability every human has to heal, grow and learn.

Usually, there is less to learn from a hardship, but much to grow from one. Grow with your friends and family and understand that life does have its up and downs and that your strength is what will give you hope.

Every hardship is weighted differently and also handled differently. But one thing that is never different between hardships is the amount it matters to others. No one can tell you how much something means to you or how it makes you feel. When getting through any hardship, it’s all about how you feel about it and how you get through it.

Every hardship is daunting, especially losing a loved one; that has to be the hardest. My 3-month-old niece died a few years ago, and that is by far the most traumatic event of my life. But my family and I are so much closer now and she has become a guardian angel, always looking over and protecting us. This deep healing after a hardship can have just as much of an impact on you as the hardship itself; all you need is hope.

Just remember, handle it your own way, whether that’s out loud or quietly to yourself; use, don’t reject, the love and help from loved ones – they care about you; and discover the hope that will allow you to see through to the other side.

Hannah McCluskey is a senior at Kingston High School. When she’s not writing, she’s playing fast pitch softball. She was also the first homecoming queen at KHS this fall.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Readers are welcome to sound off in this new feature, Foghorn. Send thoughts, perspectives and other opinions to Editor Rebecca Pirtle at editorial@kingstoncommunitynews.com, Kingston Community News, P.O. Box 1504, Kingston, WA 98346.