By: Lime Green
Giraffe Social Director, Lillabeth B.
Memories,
Developing
photographs hung to dry.
I watch them
drip
Drip
Drip
I study their
subjects,
Their meanings.
When I look
back,
Which of these
Will I cherish?
Which have made
me
Who I am?
Drip
Drip
Drip
I remember
6th grade,
So desperate
For friends
For acceptance
For security.
I searched
inside,
Amended my
persona,
Rewrote myself.
Who was I?
Shy.
Dramatic.
Unsure.
Struggling to
feel content.
With my friends.
With my talents.
With myself.
I was so focused
On what others
thought of me
I had forgotten
Who I really
was.
Drip
Drip
And so began
My love affair
With the mirror.
My reflection
On who I was
Who I had been
Who I wanted to
be.
I made new
friends.
Friends who
supported me.
Who cared.
About my life
My problems
My dreams.
I also learned.
Learned to
listen.
Learned to take
action.
Learned to care.
Learned
friendship
Goes two ways.
That year,
I learned about
both.
Drip
Drip
In the summer
of my 7th grade
year,
I reflected.
I took out my
mirror
Saw how I had
changed
And realized
We change
As much in
reflection
As in
experience.
I continued to
discover
To interact
To make
connections.
I had no
siblings
No peers in my
neighborhood
To connect with
So I had never
learned
Or cared.
But I had
learned to care.
So I learned
more.
Drip
Drip
Drip
I dove
Headfirst
Into 7th grade,
Eager
Excited
Ready
To open up
To mix and
mingle
To make
connections.
I was taken
aback
When I realized
How openly
Some would tease
me
Mock me
Ridicule me.
I didn’t expect
to find
So little
support
In my peers
In my teachers
In my friends.
Drip
Drip
Again,
I lost myself.
When I looked in
the mirror
I found what I
saw
Distorted
Twisted
Warped
By the words of
others.
I lost sight
Of my joys
My hopes
Of all I had
gained.
Drip
Drip
Drip
Drip
Slowly,
Steadily,
Deliberately,
I emerged.
Focused.
Resolute.
Unrelenting.
A new woman.
Unafraid of
ridicule.
Unremorseful of
mistakes.
Ready to face
new challenges.
Soar to new
heights.
I was a balloon,
Sailing through
a summer of fresh starts,
Meeting new
friends.
Better friends.
Crossing new
boundaries.
Restored
boundaries.
Making new
memories.
Lasting
memories.
Drip
Drip
I enter 8th
grade
A survivor,
Veteran of a
battle
We all face in
time.
Not without
scars,
But strong.
Capable.
Optimistic.
I am a product
Not just of
derision,
But of freedom.
All my obstacles
Have only made
me
More passionate
And more
relentless.
The pictures
have dried
I’ll tuck them
away
Hidden from
prying eyes.
I won’t forget
The struggles
The battles
That have shaped
me
Or the laughter
The happiness
That has
sculpted me.
It does not do
To push away
memories
Or to dwell on
them.
My gaze is set
On a new
horizon.
Where am I
going?
What will I
face?
Who will I
become?
All I know
Is what I am,
Ready.
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