i sat in that mirror
man i stared for a long time
at a girl who’s fought her life
against herself
fighting for this person
that already existed
i thought about younger me
if i could go back in time to tell
her how beautiful she was
that all her battles
she had won
how her hair grew out beautifully
after that bad perm
how she’d grown into someone
who people liked
how she had grown into someone
she liked
all that struggle wasn’t easy
but she won
so as i stared
i thought of
future me
selfishly
telling my current me
everything will work out
you will overcome your struggles
you will grow
you will become someone you love
you don’t have to starve yourself
of opportunity because you created it
love yourself gabbi