Dear Little Overachiever,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYSOaA9ZCa
#TheOriginOfTheHurt
You thought if you brought home high grades,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgF3Vbn8cGQ
they would finally say, "We're proud of you."
You chased medals,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡik6UP8SKb7
starred papers,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1xJBHOeb9
top honors—51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bAIli8TqX
as if love could be earned through certificates.
You memorized lessons not just to pass,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6nARSiZKn
but to matter.
You smiled on recognition days,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6h8veSMJnW
searching the crowd for faces that never fully lit up for you.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3NCm5IyDDy
Or worse, weren't even there.
When you failed—once or twice,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsPZPslArl
you weren't asked how you were coping,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8h91TKb5D
but why you didn't do better.
You learned that excellence was expected—51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxoeXYGvk7
not celebrated.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LFVZU9jDt
That your worth depended on how useful, smart, or impressive you could be.
But no one noticed you were tired.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JR2AmVL3P
That your back hurt not from your school bag—51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotUJaW4y6a
but from trying to carry their expectations.
You weren't seeking applause.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFkZMabVFg
Just affection.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwd6prl8eF
Just someone to say,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIGOQSCXFu
"I see how hard you're trying."
But love didn't come as a reward.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0yoACfRa5
And your effort, while outstanding, was treated as default.
So, listen to me now:
Your worth is not a grade.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKbb7JC84x
Your value is not measured by medals.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjpenbSRWx
And your heart?51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3GKhFdkWu
Deserved more than performance-based affection.
You were brilliant—51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLcQZY32aJ
not just in school,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zHqNuajry
but in how you kept trying51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcnNL91bDX
despite the silence,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmQvM0uLuL
despite the emotional drought.
You didn't fail them.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUyFH2DPvI
They failed to see you.
But I do.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1pRT9oBLf
I see that little girl.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJM5bt29Q3X
And I am so proud of her.
Not because she was perfect—51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7SY27dq59
but because she was persistent, kind,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GHJhfZzj9
and brave enough to keep hoping.
You are not a disappointment.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJ0E6HkIiJ
Never were.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZNMzfje0r
Never will be.
Love,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oQQJsXzNK
The You who finally stopped asking for permission to feel enough
51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhF5kDGMZgC
