You matter. You deserve better than the circumstances you are in right now. Your presence and energy matter so much. Don't even do it for others, do it for yourself. Being alive is the greatest experience you have. Sing and dance without cares. Eat the foods you so dearly love. Draw dumb things and watch Broadway musicals that you enjoy. Don't let people criticize things that you like. You don't need to be skillful or talented to enjoy your passions. You do not need to justify yourself for experiencing the world in a way that benefits you. Look at others with kind eyes, they all have a story. Remember that when their actions hurt you. They too, hurt inside. It doesn't justify them hurting you, but you can be aware of that what they do shouldn't be something you need to take personal. Even if they call you slurs and try to take your worth away. They can't take away your faith nor hope. You live on this earth to live authentically to be yourself. You love the gender you want because you have that right to experience love. Don't hold yourself back because of the past. Allow yourself to mature and grow beyond those aches. Time shall heal the dentures and scratches and the scars will fade away as well. You aren't selfish for wanting to live in a place where you will thrive, you aren't selfish for having your name being said with respect. You are allowed to feel your emotions in a way that doesn't prioritize others. You are not an inconvenience when you are emotional. You are allowed to be true to what makes us human. To laugh and to cry and to be angry and loud and soft. Touch the ground and soil, ground yourself to everything you are. Live unapologetically without fearing judgement. You deserve to be alive. You deserve to live.
