To all the kids who said I wasn't good enough, and to all the kids who thought it; to all the bullies who tried to put me down, to all the jerks who hated me for being myself, to all the emotionally abusive classmates, family members, and "friends"...

You ruined my childhood. I didn't get to grow up as a happy-go-lucky, care-free little kid, because you made every day at school a living hell.

You devastated my self-esteem. I never believed someone if they complimented me because I assumed it was just another joke, that everyone else was about to burst out laughing.

You destroyed my innocence. I saw how cruel people could be to one another -- for the pettiest of reasons -- before I could name the state capitals.

You filled me with bitterness, rage, and sorrow. I learned how to hate each and every one of you almost as fast as I learned to hate myself just as you did.

But, you know, there's something that feels even better than hating you back. As great as it might feel in the moment to think about flipping you off-- even after finding McDonald's bags in my mailbox with "F*** you Matthias" written on them - there's something I'd much rather do.

I want to thank you.

Thank you for every hurtful thing you've ever said. Thank you for your discouragement. Thank you for every scar you have ever left on me. Thank you for pushing me to the brink. Thank you for some of the worst days of my life.

Thank you for showing me that I can survive anything.

You ruined my childhood and my self-esteem, but that has made me all the stronger-- all the braver. Where you instilled self-loathing, there is now pride and love. You destroyed my innocence, but that made me all the wiser, all the more prepared for life and its challenges. I know I can survive and overcome any struggle. After all, I survived you.

You filled me with bitterness, rage, and sorrow. For so long, I hated myself as much as you did because of what I perceived as weakness: the pain I felt at your hands. I thought I deserved everything you threw at me. I spent my days angry at the world; I spent my nights crying about how unfair my life was.

But now?

Now I am strong. Now I am brave. Now, because of you, I have found the determination to succeed despite (or, perhaps, to spite) all obstacles and the courage to stand apart from the crowd. I am, now more than ever, unafraid and unashamed to be myself no matter what anyone says or thinks.

Now, I'm proud to be me.