The Younger Version Of Me

Recently, I had time to reflect on how far I have come. As I reflected, I wondered what it would be like to talk to my younger selves. What would I say to them? What kind of advice would I give them? I answered these questions through a poem I wrote called “A Conversation With The Younger Version Of Me.”

When I was younger, I had to learn about who I was. I wondered why I was so different from my family members and friends.

Throughout my life, I have been surrounded by people who don't have a disability. I used to wonder why my peers had different challenges from me. However as I got older, I found acceptance in who I am. I began to realize that I am more than my disability.

For people like me, it can be hard to grasp who we are. At first, it may be hard to see what you can do or what you can be. I have learned that you need to surround yourself with the right people. If you don’t have the right support system and the confidence within yourself, it would be hard to thrive in life. I have been blessed with a support system. All of my friends and family believe in who I am and what I can become. They see the greatness that has been placed inside of me.

Besides other people believing in who you are, you need to believe in yourself. People can encourage you all they want, but if you don’t see it for yourself it will be difficult to go after everything that’s in you. I learned to have confidence in myself. I learned to learn to love myself just the way I am.

While writing “A Conversation With The Younger Version Of Me”, I was thinking about all the accomplishments that I have. I was also thinking about young kids with or without a disability who are struggling to find themselves in this world.

There is a part of my poem that saids, “If I could have a conversation with the younger version of me, I would tell them to know that they are not defined by what they look like from the outside.” You will interact with people who will not understand the real you. They won’t understand why you are the way you are.

I would like to encourage you not to listen to what people say about you. If I listened to what people said that I couldn’t do, I wouldn’t have walked into the real me. What I believe about myself is all that matters. The author of my story is me. No one can write a better story of me than I.

To read the full poem and see my other poetry, please check out “The Poet MDC” tab on my website.