As we all know, the studio, Kyoto Animation was burned down about a week ago. 33 people were killed, 35 were injured. My request as an author is that you send your prayers and support to the families of the victims as well as the victims themselves, and I would like to share how this studio as well as its creators changed my life.

A couple years ago, I was in a stage of life where I was very ungrateful. Nothing made me happy, I took everything for granted, and I was starting to dabble in alcohol. Before I knew it, I was an alcoholic.

My proofreader, BoostedGear was really the only voice of reason I had, or the one I would actually listen to. This was before I developed an appreciation for anime, so I normally had a pretty standard reaction. You can guess what it was.

One day, BoostedGear finally talked me into watching an anime. He recommended some, but none really interested me, so I got on youtube, went to Watchmojo and found one called Clannad and Clannad After Story, which happened to have been animated by Kyoto animation. Now granted, Clannad isn't as popular as Dragonball Z, or Naruto, but there's something that makes Clannad special to me. It was simply a story about people, and the realistic, life like hardships they face.

One particular scene that I'll never forget is when Tomoya goes back to see his father who has fallen into ruin. Instead of scolding him for allowing this to happen to himself, Tomoya thanks his father for trying to raise him right despite his dad being flawed and failing, and his words, "you tried your best to raise a worthless son like me" was the final nail in the coffin. It made me look internally and realize that I'd been living my life all wrong.

Several other events that happen throughout the story made me look in a mirror and say "I hate what I see, but I'm changing it for the better."

If Clannad taught me anything, it was life is too precious to throw away. Sure, hardships come, but that's what makes it beautiful. The beauty of perseverance and strength. If there were never any hardships in life, how could someone point others suffering in the right direction? If hardships didn't exist, there would be no way for us to stop and realize just how great we have it.

What happened to Kyoto Animation was appalling, and there really are no words that can describe it. I wish I had an answer, and I wish I knew why someone would do such a thing, but I don't. All I can do is pray for Kyoto as well as the hurting community.

Some of you readers, I understand. You may have had it way worse than I have. I don't know what your story is, and it's not my place to pass out advice, but I want you to know that you aren't alone. Someone, somewhere has endured something you are going through. That's why poems, books, music, fanfiction stories and many other art styles exist for. They are testaments of suffering laced with hope and eventual joy.

I know that this wasn't very upbeat of me, and I normally try and do something to make you laugh as I do in all my writings, but this is one of the exceptions. If you want, leave a review stating what changed your life. If you don't, that's okay.

Back at the beginning when I said Kyoto Animation was burned down. The reason I didn't say destroyed is because they haven't been destroyed. The memories and stories they told that changed lives will endure forever, and that is why they can never be destroyed.

Thank you, Kyoto Animation.