This Is My Voice

There's no denying it, us teens will always lose in a fight with our parents or family members.

They mostly nag about things that aren't true...

but if we talk back? They'll call it disrespect...

but if we don't talk back, then they won't be corrected, thus, making our reputation worse.

In the end, we'll end up not talking because it's the right thing to do. Because it is, we should always do the right thing. I am not saying that we should talk back but sometimes, we just need to voice out what we really think, what we really feel. They tell you that you should be open to them but it turns out you can't. They are older than you and they are always right. That's one thing that they want you to know.

Then they mostly have very high expectations from us...

You've done your best but your best isn't enough for them...

Then they'll compare you with someone else.

Then you'll end up feeling like a failure. You know that you've done your best but they just can't understand.

"She'll never change."

"She's got no chance at all."

But the most tragic one is:

"Look at (name of someone you know that's successful), why can't you be like her? She tried her best and look where she is now! Try being like her. She made the family proud."

And you've got nothing to do but stay silent. You know that you've done everything that you could possibly do but it's JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH. You tried your best to be  better at that one thing that you're always failing to be the best at but it's just not for you. You have different skills but they want you to be someone else. Someone better and it's not YOU.

Then they'll start comparing their lives before from yours.

"Back when I was your age. I didn't do this. I didn't do that...etc etc..."

 but isn't their time different from ours? Our world is changing and people's ways change, too.. But they won't get that.

And then there's college... You'll be away from them and you have to start you life by your own but...

"She's not responsible enough"

"I don't think she can handle herself."

"She can't live on her own."

Well you know what? This is my voice now.

Can you please give me a chance? I have tried my best to prove my best to you but you end up laughing at me. How can you tell yourself that I am not responsible enough if you already believe that I'm not? Yes, I may not be the smartest and the best in the family to make you proud enough but you don't have to compare me to someone. She's perfect, I'm not, but I know that I have done my best.

I may not be interested in learning from my school books but what if I'm interested in different areas? What if I can be successful even if I suck at math? What if

.

.

.

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What if I can be useful in my own way?

I know I'm not the perfect family member that you want me to be but at least accept me for who I am. This is me. I always hated math and I love writing and making music. I want to share my thoughts with the world and not measure the velocity of the car that just passed by. I love empty journals and pens and not calculators and graphing papers.

I am a failure in your eyes but at least I love what I'm doing. I am not pushing myself to be good at something that would probably separate me from the thing that I really love to do.

This is my voice and if you've got a problem with that, then I'll respect that.

I may not be perfect, but I'm happy.