A Teenager's POV

"January 9, 2021. I set my demons free that day, sitting on an old swing beneath a cottage twinkling with fairy lights. I recalled the traumas and struggles of my seventeen years. The rhythmic crash of waves against the shore was a bittersweet melody, mingling with the cold sand beneath my feet, a tactile reminder of the midnight cries and screams I've weathered".

That was what I wrote to myself back then. Yet tonight, March 11, 2021, at 7:24 PM, I feel the opposite. After a six-hour drive—a journey through darkness as profound as the night sky—I am reminded of the long, arduous path I've traveled. I thought I was free, but I feel more shackled than ever. I imagined I was swimming upward, escaping the depths of my emotions, but instead, I am immobilized, numb, letting the currents of despair pull me down.

Growing up means losing your innocence. I remember the joy of rescuing a tiny ant from drowning in a bucket of water, the honesty that cost me a special friend, and the kindness that led me to say yes to every request, forgive every mistake, and grant chances to those who never truly valued them.

Losing my innocence was my greatest fear. I knew that once it was gone, I would lose a part of myself, changing into someone unrecognizable, someone not adored by many. It's incredibly hard to protect that innocence when the world relentlessly beats you down. The pain is so great that it silences your tears and closes your heart, forcing you to live on because you have no other choice.

Being a teenager is a struggle. We fear growing up because it means altering our perception of life, losing our innocence, and becoming someone we are not. We enter relationships that may shatter us, trust friendships that betray us, and strive to build ourselves up, only to find it insufficient.

I understand how hard it is to be 'you' because I know how hard it is to be 'me.' We lack the superpowers to control our destinies. We experience pain, complications, and even face mortality. I used to say, "Don't give up; it will all be worth it in the end." But today, I offer different advice. Wake up to reality. There's no fairy tale ending waiting for us in the pages of books. Be there for yourself. Provide for yourself. Be bold and be the person you need for yourself. Embrace the pain. The world may not be beautiful, but you have to be strong enough to make it so.

As a fellow teenager, I offer you this piece of advice: "Don't let anyone diminish your worth."