Let me take this moment
To point a mirror to your face
And show you how beautiful you are.
For you are distinct, unrepeatable,
And a person with no equal.
Your charms are yours alone
And your life sets you apart from the rest.
They may imitate you, be like you;
They can even try to replicate you,
But they'll never come close
To the majesty only you hold.
You secrets are yours to keep
And for me to unlock.
Your scars are littered around you
And yet you wear them like medals unblemished.
You were always outshone by others
Who hunger for glamor and intellect
But they could never possess
The eternal pride you wear proudly.
You have stood against time
And kept firm even as you were hurting,
By your pain or by their taunting.
Your history is what pulls me to you,
And your future makes me stay.
You have unleashed your heart's torment
And built walls to halt your tears of blood,
But they could never keep
The promise you bear in your soul.
You may not be rich, you may not be smart,
And they will always be people
Who'll walk over you
Just to be the first, be the best.
But my dear, can't you see
They're just chasing empty victories?
That they must spend every waking day
To shake hands with one and hold knives in the other?
You're poor, and you don't have much,
But you give what you have to those who don't,
And by that you're already a winner.
You're honest and dignified enough
To admit your mistakes and wounds.
And you always swore that
You'll never stop looking at the sky
Even when it's grey and hurling rain at you.
That's why I'm here.
Because you are you.
And for me, you are enough.
I did this poem after that evening of your meltdown. In a strange way, your travails remind me of that great city and everything that happened. Just as that city has risen up time after time, you are too. So don't wallow in negativity, for you don't have to live with it. You are better than that.
And for everyone else, stay strong. Don't give in to your demons, no matter how tempting. You are strong. You are brave. And someday you will be loved.