Kind Eyes

I'm at that fragile point in my life where I'm racked with insecurities, self hatred and, of course, body image issues. When a day has been too hard on me I like to close my and transport myself to a different time, to 2010.

In 2010 I am 15 years old, about to start my first year of high school. I tell my younger self to relax, to enjoy this period of my life. I tell younger me that everything will be okay, in the end everything finds a way to work itself out. I tell myself that he will break my heart, but I will survive, that I should take risks and I be confident. Then I ask my younger self what she thinks of me.

I imagine she says that I'm beautiful, that I'm everything she wanted to grow up to be. I imagine she says that I am her role model, someone she wants to emulate in appearance and attitude.

I open my eyes and return to my current time. I feel better about myself. Better about the young woman I became. I remember everything I went through in those five years and gain a sense of pride. Look at myself through different eyes, kinder eyes.