Growing up wasn’t when your dad started hitting you,

Or when you finally came out to your family only to be humiliated,

Or even when your best friend got knocked up in 10th grade.

It wasn’t when your boyfriend overdosed at his friends house,

Or that night your friends left you at the party,

Or when you had to tell the principle that the bruises were from “accidents”.

You see, growing up wasn’t when these terrible things happened,

It’s when you made the choice to not let them define you.

It’s when you decided to break away from the bad influences.

It’s when you realized that sometimes the only person you have is yourself.

Growing up is loving yourself for who you are, and loving who you want to love.

Growing up is waking up everyday and being a better version of yourself than you were yesterday.

Growing up isn’t easy,

There will be days where you stumble.

You might fall into bad habits,

But what is essential is that your rise from this and choose to prosper.

While you are down it might feel impossible to get up again,

But now you are growing up, and you must go on.