by Laurel Claire Griggs

(written by the 13 year old rising Broadway star who suddenly died last week of a massive asthma attack)

Why do we feel we must meet society’s expectations for us?

We go along with society’s norms even if we don’t agree with them.

It‘s what we’ve been taught so we don’t question it.

But once in a while, we should

Why do I feel like I need to be skinny?

Why do I feel like I need to wear makeup and do my hair?

Why do I feel I’ll never be smart enough, or kind enough?

Why do I feel like  in order to be accepted I must skip a meal or suck in my stomach?

Why do I feel like I need to prove something to other people instead of myself?

Why are there people that have so much power over me?

Why do I feel my whole life needs to be planned out in order to feel like I’m worth something?

Why can’t I live life without worrying?

Why can’t I ever be perfect?

The truth is no one is perfect.

No one on this earth through the end of time will ever be perfect.

If perfect is your goal, you will never achieve it.

What you can do is remember being yourself is good enough.

Don’t change the way … 

You look.

You act.

You feel.

That’s what separates you from the 7 billion people in this Earth.

Don’t be someone else

Even though on some days you will feel like you need to be.

And guess what?

The people that made you feel this way, 

 Aren’t good enough for you.