To many, the beginning of the New Year is a time to start fresh with a set of resolutions for the year. To me, however, the start of every year is a reminder of one of the most eventful days of my life. Seven days from now marks the third anniversary of my dad passing away.

As more of an introverted person, I do not really like to talk about my dad’s passing or my feelings about it. In view of that, I am actually quite hesitant to be writing about this topic right now. However, I do want to explain something that enduring the loss made me appreciate, something that I hope you all add to your list of resolutions as we head further into 2015.

I am not alluding to some profound realization that changed my whole mode of thinking, but instead something rather simple: remember to always thank those around you.

As straightforward as it sounds, I think it is something we all often forget to do. It is easy to take the people we see every day for granted, because we think we will continue seeing them day after day. However, that is not always the case, as I learned three years ago. Therefore, alongside your resolution to lose weight or recycle more, I want you to add the resolution of thanking your peers more often.

Thank your mom for making lunch, your teacher for explaining today’s math lesson or just anyone who makes your day a little brighter.

Sincerely,

Samiha Ali