I have decided that today,
I'm going to try.
I'm going to try to not be afraid
of what people say to me.
What they have to say about me.
My strategy is simple:
anticipate, accept, and understand.
If you anticipate someone will say something mean or disrespectful,
you can prepare yourself.
Then, if they do say something, you accept. Accept that's the way they feel about you. Finally, the most important part: understand. Understand that it is not your responsibility
to try to make them feel differently
or prove them wrong.
I did all this today hoping that tomorrow,        
you find the courage to try and do the same.

People won't always be there
to tell you what you want to hear.
What you need to hear.
So let me take the opportunity to be clear.
Even if no one tells you,
it's okay to be proud of yourself.

You can't change how people see you.
But you can change how you see yourself.

I can't see the future.
But somehow, I have a feeling that someday, you won't struggle when you have to decide
if you should stay or go.
And that's a day you'll never forget.
Because that's the day you'll realize
that you don't need anybody
to make you feel like somebody.

Your birthday is important.
The day you die is important.
But so is every day in between.

A single act of violence
A single act of kindness
A single act of love
Can make all the difference
When push comes to shove

If, today, someone walked
up to you on the street and asked "would you rather be seen or heard?", what would you say? Would you humor them and stay? Would you simply walk away? Growing up, I always heard kids say "I wish I was invisible."
Maybe it was because
they were shy.
Maybe bullies made them cry. Maybe they were embarrassed about how they look.
Maybe they just wanted
a safe place to read a book. Whatever the reason,
I can't help but wonder...if, today, someone walked up to you
on the street and asked "would you rather be seen or heard?", what would you say?
Would your answer be different than what it would have been as a kid? Or would it be the same?