Human life is a fragile thing. Life, in itself, is fleeting and short. We all know one day we will all face death. It is just a fact of living.

However, each year, almost 1 million people choose to end their own life. The World Health Organization rates suicide as the 13th leading cause of death in the world. The National Safety Council rates it sixth in the United States.

For teenagers and young adults under 35, there is no competition in leading causes of death. It just goes to show you that when you are at the physical peak of your life, sometimes the worst enemy can be yourself.

The human mind is a bundle of conundrums. Sometimes we become trapped inside our own heads. Stress, hardships, radical ideas—they can all get jumbled together and multiplied in a place where others can’t see. Depression, impulsion, substance abuse…many things can serve as a catalyst to the already topsy-turvy world only we can see. When things become too heavy to handle, or when we start to believe life no longer has any reason, some of us could choose to just end everything.

There are so many reasons why someone might commit suicide. I don’t pretend to have all of the answers, but I do know there is always a choice.

Even when you think there is no way out of a bad situation, don’t give up. Life goes on. Life will always go on. Life is hard. We all face hardships. Sometimes, we can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there.

The hard truth is, even if any of us die, the world will go on. Even when bad things happen, life continues. Something could seem like the worst possible situation ever, but I do believe that there is always a tomorrow. I do believe that time can heal all wounds.

Even if you were to disappear today, time stops for no mortal, so why not cling to this crazy roller coaster ride called life while you have the chance? Grab the bull by the horns. Hold tight to the people around you. All of us are on the same ride, even if we run across different experiences along the way.

In a strange way, we can take comfort in the fact that the clock is ticking. There is a finish line that we will all ultimately cross. When the end comes, you can have pride in knowing you were still holding on. You can take pride in the fact that you ran the race until the end.

We should take advantage of every experience while we can, both good and bad, even if there seems to be no more good left. Cling to life. Things get better. Hope only dies if you let it.

Cherish each moment. Live and love the people around you. Lift each other up. Life will always be too short to give up now.