Ode to the Young & the Restless, From The Late Bloomer.

I keep hearing that we all have to grow up by ourselves. No matter how many people are around us, we still feel alone during these--dare I say those?--difficult years. Still, we feel like we had to figure it out alone.

Maybe it is--was--better for us to grow up with our person and intentions clouded by misunderstanding and thus forsake the illusion of being comprehended.

These are important years. Your heart is important. So is your joy. Your hope.
pain. struggle. loneliness. all of these things create so much beauty and life and resilience--like damage to a tree makes for the most exquisite grains. More importantly- all of this makes for the source of you. Don't ever give You up and don't forget to fight for it. This is a time of discovery and experimentation. Learn how to communicate yourself; explore outside of your box. Stand tall. Breathe deep. Salute the Sun rising, racing to produce a fraction of the beauty she creates before setting in an array of color. Find the source of your light and never let it go.

Give yourself and your circumstances the credit they deserve. It will all pay off.
Keep your head up, that smile big, and the accent true. You will make it through this. And no, no one will ever understand...but that's the where the strength of your pain is.

With all my heart, support, and a generous dose of light.

Always.