All Grown Up

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.

- E.E Cummings

I used to thrive on acceptance. As a teen hell bent on being recognized and accepted by my peers, I tried to like the same music, same movies, same everything that they liked. Several times had I bent myself out of shape trying to please them, to make them like me. I sacrificed bits and pieces of my identity for fear that they would shun me for being different.

It was in college when I found my acceptance for the person that I was. I realized that acceptance of one's self was all that mattered. The process was not easy but I had my faith in myself to hold on to.

It took a lot of courage for me to grow up but yes, finally, I did. After countless reflections, I began to show to the world the spirited me. I broke away from what was and embraced and basked in my individuality.

What made us different is what made us special. People will always have their standards for us to live up to but I now I really don't care about that. That chapter of my life is over.

Why live up to those standards when we can be the standards ourselves?