This piece is inspired by my personal struggles and how I overcame them with the optimism that I had inside me and that other people brought to me.
As I sit by the window
I sense the sun looking at me,
Its neon red-orange vibes staring at my insecurities.
As I look up to meet its eyes,
I feel the sunshine lighten my spirit,
Making my dark brown eyes look like bright brown-red.
I can sense optimism rising in my soul,
But then, suddenly, the dark clouds surrounding the sun
Start to prevent the rays from meeting my heart.
Now I can sense the emptiness inside my soul,
As if pessimism has started to take control.
I can still see a little bit of optimism left inside me,
So I quickly smile at the clouds and wave them a hello
Because they say that a smile can brighten the darkest days,
And remove the clouds of fear and doubt.
But my intention was not to drive away the clouds,
Rather it was to embrace them and turn them into a positive crowd.
And as the clouds change their frowning face,
They smile back and grin as if someone has finally understood their grace.
You see, all my life I’ve felt misunderstood.
At home, at school, on the streets, or in nearby stores.
The desolation inside my heart is something I cannot explain,
But it’s not like anyone wants to hear my pain.
By now I am used to comforting myself.
And I’ve learned to tell myself “I’m strong.”
As I walk through the main entrance of my school,
Or sit there inside a classroom,
I feel like my body is on earth but my mind has flown away to Mars.
I feel judged based on my test scores,
And the flaming report cards that feel like a stamp classifying my future
It’s as if they have the capacity to define who I am.
But I’ve learned to follow my heart and stop letting numbers define my potential.
As I walk on the streets,
I feel like a burden drowning this entire universe.
I pass by the lamppost and the humongous trees,
Feeling so little and invisible as if no one sees.
I feel a sudden force pushing me onto the ground.
And as I struggle to get up, no one reaches out a hand,
But that is how I learned to stand up on my own.
Everyone stares at me as if I am an alien,
As if I am a failure which no one deserves to look at.
As if I did something wrong every minute of my life,
And I have to justify all my actions and make sure everyone knows
that there’s no bomb in my black plastic bag or inside my backpack.
I cannot fit in with society’s terms.
I usually feel like an outcast.
I fail to formulate a reason for the sudden increase of my heartbeat,
And for the tears in my eyes that are overflowing.
I’m going crazy overthinking everything.
Yes, I sense the world in front of me,
The roads and pathways to many opportunities.
But sometimes it can be very intimidating.
So I taught myself to ask questions and figure out solutions.
But deep inside my heart,
I know that we’re all the same in terms of being a human.
That we all sometimes feel rejected.
So if you feel like a dark cloud is storming inside,
I’m here to tell you that optimism still lies within you.
So don’t give up and keep moving forward,
And turn those dark moments of your life into beautiful lessons to learn from.
And that is the power of positivity.
Within you lies humanity.