Here's looking at you, kid

You'll be told who you are more times than you can remember.

You'll be told your gifts are ways to win at games you're not playing.

You'll be told your voice matters as long as you agree. There's no space to disagree here.

You'll be told who you are, again and again, until you forget your roots, your past, what brought you here.

The difference is that you never looked for rooms to enter but invited other worlds in. Yet you're to blame.

You'll make mistakes, plenty of them, and you'll hold yourself accountable far more than you should.

You'll walk through life with open windows—many memories, so much good in people, and so much pain.

You'll forgive, and you'll move on to a different road.

Here's looking at you, kid.

You got yourself back.