It begins with jest or seeming necessity; the loss of yourself. Thrown into a social pit with a timer. Tick tock. All you do or say determines who you are and all you want is to make it. Your peers will reign over the pit while the adults will amount to nothing more than mild distractions. You will spend your time worrying about what they think of you, never once realizing that they are doing the same thing. In your futile efforts to appeal to the kings you will lie, no more so than to yourself.
	You feel you should do as you please, yet consequences forbear you. Encouraged to be, act or change into what the distractions deem acceptable. Manage to do that and you will slide through, through no fault of your own; but at what cost? I pity those who don’t have the guts to fail; they are blinded through acceptance of the chains binding them. There are those who seek to break free from these social restraints. So, they lash out and attack the binds in an attempt to reach the limits. Soon they understand the chains are interconnected with no limits to them. The gallant learn that these chains can never be broken because they are controlled by us all. They begin to feel the indomitable will held within us all and feel the urge to incite change.
	We all have a power; to interact in each other’s lives. With this power we can give friendship, show love or cause pain. One person can singlehandedly use this power to save someone’s life or take it. How will you use your power? You must realize that not everything happens for a reason; do not fall prey to the lies, fallacies and misconceptions the ignorant will spit at you. Bound to ego, people will take their insecurities out on you; thinking from their own point of view, selectively blind to the other side.
	Learn empathy; even if something uncontrollable happens to you; it is your reaction that determines the consequence. Think with your head in all cases that require a logical outlook, and your heart for the rest; it’s not easy. You aren’t untouchable, you aren’t the smartest, and you do make mistakes. Fear will do all it can to push you back but overcome fear and it will become your most powerful motivator. Don’t complain, accept the situation and do what’s best for you long term. Have a set of principles to help you along as you grow; to form your own opinions and truths. Only through pain is there growth; never become complacent. Comfort invites ignorance.
	You have an indomitable will inside of you, use it on the road to success. But what is success?  Success is like a penny on a string. It is unattainable. As soon as you get to that point you always wanted, the monotony begins. You cannot have a life worth living without purpose. Perfection only exists within imperfection. All you can do is wish for the curse reserved for the best. When one strives to be the best there is a purpose but when one is the best there’s no competition, no sense of fulfillment and no one to compare to but yourself.
	A self-proclaimed social outcast; being in school with kids I disdained was a temptation like no other. I thought the only validation I needed was from myself, but this proved to be untrue. What is a world without others? From one folly to another I jumped; spending my days drinking, skipping school and smoking weed; all just to fit in. I never even liked it.
	The fantasy I was living in was unapologetically torn from me. I was kicked out for a year. I was forced to understand that I was causing my own problems. When faced with the choice of a lifetime of ignorance or the possibility to learn and grow I feel compelled to choose the latter. I had to stop hurting myself. Here I stand before you, and I beg of you please. Don’t lie to yourself, there is no hope in talking to someone who lies to themselves.
Remember, you decide what happens to you.
Thank you