Be The Kind of Person...

Be the kind of person who isn't afraid to ask someone if they are okay twice after they say they are, but look like they aren't. Be the kind of person who smiles at people even when they don't smile back. Be the kind of person you wished for when no one was there for you. Be the kind of person who is brave enough to stand alone in a crowd for what is right. Be that person because we need more people like that in the world. Be that person because people like that are rarer than the rarest diamonds and gold.

I was never that person, I had to learn the hard way to be that person. In high school I was always treated poorly, no one was ever there to ask me if I was okay a second time because they knew the first time was a lie. And I was absolutely never the kind of person to stand up for what is right in a crowd. But as I grew up I started to see how being angry and silent was not going to get me anywhere. So I started to be that person. I am always there to lend someone a hand (and the important part was not expecting it to be returned), I slowly learned that I can be the kindest, most selfless person I can be, smile at strangers, and add some joy to others lives. And since I knew that those kind of people are rare, I learned to be that person for myself too. To never let myself stay in a negative mindset, to motivate myself in the ways I knew how (with words of encouragement). And yes, terrible things happen in my life, I mean come on, I'm human! But I knew that those golden people were few and far between. So I got up, and I stood for myself, fought for myself, and stood by for others to lean on too.

Be a golden person. Be the person you never had for others who may not have that either. And especially be the person you never had for YOU. And maybe you can learn to be that person the easy way. I sure didn't!

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Lindsay Anderson

October 6, 2021