someone told me today
"i've never seen you without a smile on your face
you always have a front"
i laughed at her words

i thought
that's how i have to be
i can't be bringing people down with me
drowning them in my sadness
i need to make others happy

it's like she read my mind
because she smiled and said
"sometimes you need to take down that front you put on
take care of yourself"

i hardly knew how to do that
and that's when it dawned on me
i need to put myself first

i am a priority
not an option
i am my first choice
not last
i am my best friend
no one else.