Can you remember who you were,
Before the world told you who you should be?
Before the expectations began to blur,
And influence seeped like darkened tea?
When your heart was wild and free,
Before they said what they expected of thee?
When you were just a child,
And the world was a place of wonder?
A time when innocence was mild,
And the skies were days of thunder?
When life was not a contest,
And you didn’t have to impress?
When happiness was the goal,
And love was all you needed to feel whole?
You danced in the rain,
And played with the wind,
Chased butterflies without any pain,
And laughed until the day’s end.
You had no worries, no fear,
Of the things that lay ahead,
You breathed in life without a care,
Lived in the moment instead,
You didn’t care about your looks,
Or the clothes you wore each day,
You were just glad to be alive,
And to play, laugh and dance and sway.
You dreamed big and believed,
In the magic of the world,
In the power of love and joy,
In the peace you’d one day unfurl.
But as you grew, the world changed,
Began to tell you what to do,
Its expectations were rearranged,
And your spirit started to subdue.
You were expected to follow the crowd,
To fit the norm and to conform,
Your dreams were no longer allowed,
Unless it was the “norm.”
The world said you weren’t pretty enough,
Or smart enough, or thin enough,
You weren’t rich or strong or tough,
You were too emotional, too soft, too rough.
So you began to hide your true self,
And you built up a facade,
You were too afraid to be yourself,
As you thought it was a fraud.
You strived to be perfect,
In everything that you did,
You chased and chased, but expected,
That you’d never fulfill what you needed.
You forgot about your childhood dreams,
And what made you truly happy,
You strayed away from what it seems,
And went on living a life that’s sappy.
This is where you stand today,
A person who’s lost their way,
Though it seems so hard to say,
The world you’ve known, make it sway.
Return to that child-like state,
Find that wonder, find that magic,
Whatever it takes, it’s never too late,
To be yourself, to shed that logic.
The world doesn’t define you,
You are who you are,
Embrace yourself, love yourself too,
And start living, just like a star.
For you are unique, that’s true,
And there’s no one else like you,
So be happy, be proud, be you,
And follow your heart, it’ll guide you.
It’s time to let go of all the fears,
And let yourself be free,
Go ahead and wipe those tears,
And be who you were meant to be.
So go on and try once more,
Start anew and lift yourself,
The world is open, just like a door,
So go ahead and be yourself.