it's september.
your eighteenth year,
already!

no, it's not 2016 anymore,
nor any year before this one.
you are safe.
it can't hurt you anymore,
they can't hurt you anymore.

their voices are so foggy and muted now,
look at that progress you made!
you're not breaking anymore because of that one day in math class
or the words they said.
look at that progress!
you haven't forgotten
but instead, you've wrapped all of it up in a blanket and held it tight close to you.
you are okay.

sailing it away was bittersweet.
it was all you knew but it's so far away now,
how can it help now?
it never did before.
let it go.

and now, the now, the present,
whatever you want to call it,
is Here,
it's now!
you're afraid,
oh, so afraid.
but hey!
you are okay.

the unknown isn't a dark tunnel anymore.
it's an open field with roads paved into them by people from before.
follow one or make your own.
either way,
you will be
okay.
remember that.

things hurt sometimes.
the rain get too much some days and your clothes feel heavy and your skin feels too tight again.
i see you hugging yourself when you're around people.
you're okay.
you've grown so much that you Know it's okay now to have bad days.
the storm leaves,
it always does,
remember?

you are light,
you are love
now.
you're great and okay and hopeful.
you are worth so much more than you think.
keep telling yourself all of this.

you are light,
you are love.
you can move on now.
don't be afraid.
i won't let go,
i will be here when you fall and i will be here when you fly.

so keep growing.
grow!
go!
move!
it's possible!
look at how big this world is!
grow and love and love and love
and
love.

now grow.