A lifetime ago I felt like I didn’t have a place in this world
I felt like I went through the motions like clockwork
Everyday was the same, miserable feeling of aloneness
I had fake friends who did nothing more than talk behind each other’s back

I couldn’t take the pain of feeling loss
So I left them and explored parts of the school I didn’t even know of
I found a place of warmth and welcoming
A place were people I didn’t know, knew my name

The people there, are like a warm sunshine of comfort
A sunshine that I been seeking for a long, long time
I stay at this place that I didn’t know that existed

It took me a while to unlock the girl I hid,
To open the grey cage door and let that joyful girl speak
I stutter and mumble on the road to my true self

I didn’t believe that those people were my “friends”
I battle between letting myself shine or hide
But I realized something, these people were here
Right now, at this moment with me
They didn’t care about my past mistakes
And when I did mess up, they were here to dry my tears
Make me laugh till the corners of my mouth were sore

I’m no longer that super quiet shy girl, that was scared to speak to others
Because of that warm place filled with outstanding people
I learn to love myself a little more with every try accomplished
With every up and down through life, I see and seek the hope through the darkness
And I can finally melt that cold cage that I lock my outgoing self in

I’m not scared to be who I am
Which is a happy, silly, optimistic, creative, sassy, funny, loving and much more girl
Who has overcome the obstacles with a chronic illness

That warm wonderful place, is the junior ROTC program
Because of the amazing people there I can finally speak out and be the leader I was meant to be
And I thank them, without the program, the epic people
I wouldn’t been able to see the joy in school and have extraordinary friends!!!