I Am Beautiful

I am beautiful. I am the sum Of my experiences and hopes. My dreams, and my memories and goals. I have withstood the hell of being abandoned by drug addict parents. I grew from it. I stood strong through the relentless bullies, no matter how many times I thought of leaving this earth. They picked on me because I didn’t have "real" parents. because puberty hit me hard. because I was smart, or because I was poor, or different. Because it would seem, to the average eye, that is, that I had, what they wanted. What did I really have? A shattered, untrusting heart. An eating disorder. A mental illness. I had... hope. I had no money, but I did have... a free education, for 12 years. I did have the potential to get a scholarship. I didn’t have food in the house, or power turned on always. sometimes I went hungry or dark. But, I had a pencil, a paper, and a creative imagination. I had my brain, and incredible opportunities, that I had created. I am beautiful. not for my face or, my body. but for my personality, my hopes... my dreams. my perseverance. my ability to fight on, even when it would seem the fight has already been lost. Taylor Bluthardt