I wish I could tell you

Exactly what not to do.

Sit you down,

Look into your brown eyes,

Realize,

Just how fast time flies.

You looking back at me,

Swinging your feet,

So careless, so free.

Everything I still want to be.

You and I are so different,

But yet we are the same.

Seemingly connected,

only by our names.

Everyday,

I picture your face.

Wishing I could tell you something to erase,

the inevitable pain.

If I could,

I would say,

Yesterday was yesterday.

Tomorrow will be tomorrow.

No matter what happens,

Don't feel sorrow.

Things won’t always turn out,

But I can say without a doubt,

Even if some dreams crumble and fall apart in your hands,

You'll be able to keep your stand.

Because the moment you stop,

Life will drop,

Into a pit of insecurity,

Thoughts will turn to obscurity.

Self comparison,

Burning through your skin like kerosene.

Looking at your reflection in the glass,

Asking yourself,

“Why am I not the smartest person in class?”

“Why can’t I be better than the rest?”

“Why can I never be the best?"

And somehow, I was the one person,

I couldn’t be enough for.

Your breath caught in your throat,

Jealousy like a coat,

Wrapped tightly around your body,

Wishing you were somebody else.

Self image shattered,

Everything that ever mattered,

Scattered.

If only you could realize that you mattered.

Just the way you were,

You didn't have to be like him or her.

And the more you start thinking,

You’ll feel your self love shrinking.

So that’s what I would say,

If I could come back to you, that day.

I wish I could tell you,

exactly what to do,

But maybe the truth,

That I couldn't figure out in my youth,

Was that I didn't need to be better than me,

I just needed to let myself be.

Not to be more, not to be less -

just enough, just my best.