This is to the people that were always forced to stay strong.

Since I was little, I have always been the armor of the family. My mom raised my younger sister and I by herself, and as the older sister I was always taught to be the strong one. With this, I became prone to hiding my feelings. I barely cried, and when I did it was behind closed doors. Whenever tough situations happened throughout the family, I was the family armor.

It wasn't until recently that I realized that hiding my emotions was detrimental. When I got into college I was struck by a major lifestyle change. Not only was a city girl put into the DEEP country, but an introvert was forced to be social. With trying to cope with school and a semi-social life, I had a breakdown.

I remember the night like it was yesterday, my roommate had left for the weekend and I was by myself. Leaving a restless mind alone to think is like Trump becoming president, harmful to everyone. I sat in the room ALL day, listening to music, thinking.

"What am I doing?"

"Why am I here?"

"Does any of this even matter?"

It rained that night. Hard. Storming.

But something happened.

I don't know what.

But the rain just stopped.

My best friend texted me, without knowing what was going on, and told me she loved and appreciated me for the advice I gave her.

And that's when everything just hit me.

I need to stop holding things in. I need to start talking about my feelings and open up to the people who were desperately trying to help.

This is to anyone reading this and has been the armor: it is okay to break.

It is okay to let down your guard.

You are still strong if you show you are vulnerable.

You can let people in.

It is okay, to not be okay.