Why I Am Here

I feel my experiences
must one day be recycled
into proffered help and guidance.
For I have walked alone in the dark;
and I have seen the monsters
that hide in the shadows
of a mind riddled with grief and anxiety.
Hardships are not foreign to me.
They've been nigh on
consistent companions in my life
though playing with my sister
and exploring nature
alleviated much of the emotional pain,
allowing me to shove it down deeper,
to ignore for a little longer.

I must believe that I am
here to make a difference,
that I am here to make a change.
I want to believe that I am
here to make sure
people like me can be heard,
can feel empowered to speak their mind.

I feel that I am here
to make sure
children like me
don't fall between
the cracks in our education.
I believe I am here to spark hope,
courage, and determination in children,
that I am here to instill
growth-mindset in schools.

I feel that I am here
to remind teachers
that it is up to the individual students
to discover what they are capable of,
that it is not their place to define
or delineate their abilities.
Teachers are there to help
the child reach their full potential,
not to place limits or boundaries around them.

I want to believe
that I am here to educate teachers
on how to find out
what is limiting a child's ability
to learn a subject and address it.

I want to be sure
no one else feels cast out
or cast aside.
I want everyone to be able to
hold themselves accountable
for how they treat others.