Photo taken by contributor Cassandra, a 32-year-old woman from New Zealand who lost her older brother to suicide when she was 14-years-old. Beyond being sad and shocked, she was very angry. She remained angry about what she considered his ‘weak and stupid choice’ for most of her life, until last year, when she suffered her first bout of true depression. Suddenly she realized how he must have felt – how heavy the burden of daily life can become and how distorted your perspective can be. Thankfully she came through it but she is grateful for that dark time because it helped her gain empathy and compassion for friends who still struggle daily with depression. She runs two blogs – My Life is My Message that shares stories of inspiring everyday people who are trying to make their world a better place, and The Wonders where she showcases photos and stories of joy and wonder in the world as she travels.”

About this photo: “Kalaw, Myanmar. A sleepy little town in the mountains, Kalaw attracts travellers for one night only as they head off on multi-day treks into the countryside. Cara and I chose to pull a two-nighter and enjoyed meandering the sleepy streets and chatting to smiling locals. This dog snoozing at the central market in the midday sun perfectly sums up the tone of the day and place.”

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