I started as a young girl, 

wondering what I would do with my life. 

Would I be a doctor, a teacher, a crazy scientist?

Would I be a writer, a lawyer, or a real estate agent?

I started as a young girl,

worried about everything. 

Would they like me?

Would I like me? 

Would my grades be good enough?

Would I be good enough?

I started as a young girl, 

confused about how people could be so cruel. 

Why do they choose to be mean?

Why doesn't everyone choose love?

I started as a young girl, 

but now I am older. 

I started as a young girl, 

but now I will make a stand for those younger than me. 

My neighbor, my cousin, my friend:

I will stand for all of these younger people,

so they can become the teacher, the doctor, or the crazy scientist.

So they can become the writer, the lawyer, or the real estate agent. 

I will stand for all of these younger people, 

so they don't have to worry about their grades being good enough, 

so they don't have to worry if they are good enough.

I will stand so they do not have to be confused on why people choose to be cruel,

so they do not have to worry as to why people do not choose love and kindness. 

I started as a young girl, but now I stand for the younger people around me.

I stand so they can stay young and innocent.

I stand so they don't have to worry. 

I stand now for what I wish somebody had stood for when I started as a young girl.