First, I wanted to play.
Then, I wanted to make friends. Next, I wanted to cry.
Eventually, all I wanted
was for the loneliness to end.
I stayed alive for my family.
But it got harder every day. Because I didn't know how to say "I need help. I'm not okay."
Now, it's been years
since I've been in such a bad place.
But if you're reading this,
and you're wondering if you have anything left to give,
for what it's worth,
it's not too late
to decide you want to live.

Anything? Everything

I always thought that a world without you would be a world with less light.
But then I thought about life before you,
and I remember light being there,
I just didn't really care.
So now, when you say you doubt
you've made a difference,
and you're worried you haven't changed anything,
I'll smile and say
"baby, you've changed everything."

A little

I'll always be a little afraid,
but I'll always be brave if I need to.
I'll always be a little sad,
but I'll always try to help the good
outshine the bad.
I'll always be a little different, but so will you. That's not a bad thing.
Your differences are what make you, you. Whatever happens, I know we'll always be
at least a little ok.
Because at the end of the day,
there's nothing better
than knowing someone loves you.

You may find it hard sometimes
to see the forest for the trees.
And you may get frustrated
if you ask why things happen
the way they do.
Because sometimes,
there just aren't good answers. And that can make you feel powerless.
But I hope you'll find peace, strength, power, and most of all, hope, when you realize you can't change what happens,
but you can choose
what you do next.

Of all the things I've lost
and all the things I've gained,
I've found the most meaning
in the things that remain

When you were younger,
maybe you were told to hold your tongue,
hold your breath until you got older.
But now that you're here,
now that you've figured out how
and when to say what you want to say, someone has given you the same advice.
So once again, you hold your breath,
even though it hurts and scares you.
And now, you wonder "what's next?"
Now, I'm going to be the one giving advice:
if you want to be confident, independent,
and able to stand up for yourself,
understand that you're the only one
who can give you permission to breathe,
and you've earned it.

I understand there will be times the words I say won't be the ones you hear.
And you might lash out in anger
disguised as fear.
Fear that one day, we'll fight, I'll leave,
and never come back.
But once you calm down, like you always do,
I'll be there to remind you that sometimes, words get lost in translation.
And it's OK, because it happens to everyone.