Our state has gone through so much these past few years, and it’s always amazing to see how tragedy binds us. In 2005, hurricane Katrina tore through our homes as well as our hearts. We stood by one another and helped each other to rebuild. In March, our town was submerged in water, and once again we saw an outpouring of love, support and kindness. Now several towns in southern Louisiana are suffering once again. This time, we did not wait for the government to help us as neighbors gathered together to help other neighbors.

Although it is amazing to see the outpouring of love and support, it should not take a tragedy to unite this great state.

Remember all the love and kindness you are seeing and feeling right now. Keep it with you as you go through life this semester. If a classmate falls, be there to catch them. It takes only a second to do something to brighten someone’s day. If you see someone sitting alone, go eat with them. Take a few minutes of your day to listen to someone who is having a problem. We will all have a personal flood sometime this semester, but as long as we stand together there will be nothing we can’t achieve.

True unity is shown when people stay together even after the tragedy is over.

We fall. We rise. We move on.