In the past, I was the one that was intelligent.

I was the quiet one.

I was the teacher’s pet.

I was criticized for being a girl on the drumline.

I was the one that played too soft.

I was the liked one.

I was the envied one.

I was torn down because I wasn’t “good enough” to the other guys in percussion.

I was the one that got my heart ripped into a thousand pieces because my friend betrayed me.

I felt lose because I thought I should be like somebody else.

I got strange looks because I looked like a boy.

I felt left out because my brother left me…

I was confused.

 

I am the weird one.

I am the one that people look at in confusion.

I am left out because I don’t go with the flow.

I am not like the others that drink until they get drunk.

I’m the one that doesn’t go crazy at parties.

I’m the sheltered one.

 

I get weird looks because I do random acts of kindness to homeless people.

I get scoffed at because I hang with sinners.

I get scolded at for defending someone that others don’t appreciate.

I’ve been through temptation and desires that shouldn’t be worth my time, but others encourage it.

People avoid me for not being a part of the band wagon.

I’ve been through heart ache due to family and friend loss.

I was rebuilt a couple of times on Christian trips and retreats only to be torn down again when I lost my mother.

I am broken.

 

I have been put in charge and a leader over multiple occasions for my maturity, but not everyone listens to me because I am young.

I get judged because I say I am an Art History major and people don’t know what to associate that with since there are “better” jobs and career paths.

I am the one that is questioned because I try to depend on God’s guidance to get through life.

I am different.

 

I have been judged and broken.

I have been torn and left alone.

 

But that’s what others say and think.

I wasn’t created on this world to live by others’ standards.

I was created to follow God.

I am not of this world!

 

I’m not meant to be like the others who fall short into temptation and sin.

And most importantly, if I did not go through all of the things I listed:

I wouldn’t be who I am right now

I wouldn’t want to be here

And I wouldn’t hear God constantly putting me up to each task I do.

 

God has made us all unique and has built us through the things we go through.

You have an identity.

 

I am who I am!