The thoughts of a poet

"From as long as I can remember I've always wanted to write. My mother taught me to read and write very well before I started school. My birthday gifts were always books and I was always thrilled to receive them. I didn't grow up watching a lot of television so even today I'm still behind on shows that people my age group grew up watching.  Like others, during my teenage years I wanted to fit in and I wanted to be seen. Looking back at it now I can just smile at it because of the growth that has brought me to the woman I am now. We all have things that we are passionate about and mine happens to be poetry. It isn't the most glamorous nor is it filled with expensive accolades but it is what I want to do. In the darkest of times in my life poetry has always been there and I can honestly say that if I didn't have my poetry I wouldn't be here today. We live in a world where people do just about anything to be noticed but I rather have my words be memorable and inflict some sort of change. I share my words because I want people to know that they aren't alone with the struggles that they face and to give them some form of assurance. Look beyond the physical that you spend so much time on and reveal the substance that is hidden beneath it. You have a soul and you have to ensure that each and everyday you speak life into it and not cast it out into this world to be trampled upon. Who will be the motivators of tomorrow? Who will be the role models who influence your daughters to walk with their heads held high and to know that being knowledgable is a beautiful thing. Who will encourage her to love each and every curve of her body? We need to encourage our girls to step out of the superficial social media world that tells them how they should look and how they should be to be liked. Be proud of the true beauty that is you ,even if no one else sees that. You don't need a crowd to accept you, you need to accept yourself and that in itself will encourage some form of change in those who at first resented you for standing out."- Saccheen Laing