I Met My Past Self Today (A Poem)

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She’s 15,

I’m 32.

She’s trying to fit in,

I’m standing out.

She’s afraid of failures,

I’m learning from my mistakes.

She’s keeping her feelings bottled up and maintains a secret dairy,

I’m letting it all out and my life is an open book.

She thinks she’s lesser than others,

I believe my only comparison is with her.

She’s a shadow of my past,

I’m a reflection of her experiences.

She’s conscious of her looks and body, constantly thinking, “I don’t have the perfect body.”

I am confident of my body, constantly reminding myself, “The perfect body is a myth and I’m working hard to keep my body fit and healthy.”

She uses her words to bring comfort to her mind,

I use my words to send out a message.

She craves love and attention to validate everything she does,

I love myself enough to know what I wear, think, and do, doesn’t need approval from others.

She hides behind books finding solace in fiction that life fails to provide,

I talk about books, helping myself and others find truth via fiction, making life a little better.

She avoided talking to people, not knowing what and how to talk,

I listen to people, knowing I don’t need to talk and definitely don’t have to avoid people because I can’t talk much.

Have you met this girl or the woman she has become?

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I came across an old photograph of mine that prompted me to think about how I’m different from the girl who I used to be as a teenager.

Thank you for reading.

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