To Show the World

My mettle has been tested by fire.
My courage has been tested by trials.
My strength and adaptability
by countless emotional wringers.
I may not look like a survivor,
but we have always known
that looks can be deceiving.

I've surmounted my own personal tragedy
and the attempted suicide of an older brother.
I've experienced unthinkable, unimaginable trials and triumphs.
I may not look like a bold and daring globetrotter
but we know better than to judge a book by its cover.

I look like a nobody; average height
(but on the short side),
slender build, straight brown hair.
No heads ever turned my way due to beauty or homeliness
and I preferred it that way.
Being invisible meant that I could not be harmed.

But I will stand in the shadows no more.
I shall claim my voice
and accept its power to comfort, to heal.
I know my mettle,
I know myself to be courageous, strong, and adaptable
for I have proven it time and time again.
I want my words to give the voiceless their voice back.
I want my actions to inspire others to empower themselves,
to remind them that they have never been powerless.
I want to show the world
the colors and the richness
of my unbroken courage.
I want to show the world how to dream big;
how to build a dream so grand, so monumental,
that it counters the heavy burdens of one's past.
I find it important to throw yourself
into something bigger than yourself
to overcome grief, heartache, and sorrow
I want to show the world
how to allow themselves to make peace
with a past that never held peace.