A Poem About Growth.

The people who remind me to Love my body, 

Are the same who photoshop:

Their waist a bit skinnier

Their thighs a bit smaller

Their eyes much larger. 

How can I, a 15 year old, be content with my long nose and thin lips

When photos of Kylie Jenner and her look a-likes pop up on my phone.

Their millions of likes portray their embodiment of society’s beauty standard,

A standard I do not meet.

My thoughts run and crash like waves, 

Never stopping in the continuous comparison of every picture.  

Oh look— the latest Snapchat filter enhances just what I want it to.

This makes me feel prettier.

Little do I know my thoughts are nothing but an illusion. 

I am 18 now, 

I’ve fallen into the ads on Instagram

Ones that tell me how to magically lose my weight, 

By taking a minuscule pill. 

Money spent, money wasted, it's all the same to me,

My mind has grown, along with my body. 

I’ve figured out how to appreciate every bone, feature and part of my being. 

My yearning to fit with what I saw on my little screen caused my near irreparable damage,

But I know now to be kind to myself, 

And take time to recharge and grow. 

I am a new person, 

With a journey that is different from yours. 

I wish you the best of luck, 

And part with a reminder for you to say thank you,

Thank you to your heart, lungs, nose, eyes, mouth, legs, arms, neck, face and all of the rest. 

They extricate care, 

Immeasurable care that should not be subject to judgment.