You are not the colour of your hair
Nor the size of clothes you wear
And you are not the person
Who should ever be someone’s spare.
You are not the stretch marks on your skin
or the pimples that lay on your face
Because there is so much more to you
That no one could ever replace.
You are so much more
Than what other people see
And you are the only one that holds the power
To be truly free.
I know it can be hard,
Realising the truth
So let me tell you
That you are living proof
That everyone is beautiful
In their own unique ways
And the person who’s holding you back
Is the person you see when meeting your own gaze.
At the end of the day
Never tell yourself otherwise
Because sometimes our biggest critics
Can be our own eyes.
But, coming from someone
Who has their own fair share of doubts,
We are nothing without
What these insecurities shout.
Because they teach us
That it’s okay not to be perfect,
Because what makes us perfect
Are the things that label us imperfect.
Don’t let them overshare
Or become a nuisance inside your head,
There is so much more that’s meant for you
That is in this journey of life up ahead.
These things we call insecurities
We are just wasting energy on
Because everything that we know now
Can suddenly be gone.
So take in every moment
All the good and the bad
Because you won’t think about the things that make you sad
But instead the things that make you glad.
It won’t be the number on your jeans
Or the money in the bank
But it will be the people who stand beside you
Who you will have to thank.
Those are the ones
That bring you joy
And help you become confident enough
To have a voice.
And that’s what really matters
At the end of the day:
Those who stay by your side
every step of the way.
So take a look around
To the person on your right
And hug them a little tighter
With more of your might.
Because life really is too short
To be consumed by our appearances
Because with every blinking moment
Can come new circumstances.
Remember to make the most of your life
Before it is gone
So you can look back on your past
And confidently say you had it all.
Sandra Thompson – Year 13
