Growing up, I have always been that ray of sunshine and the positive voice in the crowd. While many appreciate this, so many others do not. Time and time again, I've been told that I am too happy or laugh too much. While I do my best not to let it bother me, sometimes it does. I wrote this poem about me struggling with this and ultimately deciding to be myself regardless.

I am the sun,

You all know the one

And trust me it's easier said than done

The sun.

I am the sun,

I am big, bright, beautiful, warm, and the way I shine is comparable to none

So when I was young

My mother would tell me to let my light shine,

And that that shine would help me become,

The sun

I am the sun,

Everyone knew the one

I'd walk down the halls with a smile on my face knowing that I was lighting up the world…

That is until I met a girl, in English classroom 331

"Could you emit a little less light, a little less shine, I swear I'm gonna go blind"

I had no choice but to bite my tongue

I am the sun

One day met someone,

he said he loved summer and would have so much fun

Until he went tanning and got slightly overdone,

Thanks to me

The sun.

I am the sun,

But today I'm hidden behind the clouds

I'm done.

It was cloudy for a while

And you wanna know something funny?

The same people who had tried to stop my shine were the ones who missed basking in my rays.

So to them, this is what I'll say

I am the sun,

So buy yourself a pair of shades because the light I have within,

could never ever be dimmed!

I am the sun

And my light, my warmth, and my glow stops for no one.