Dear Friends,

Who are you? Where do you hold your value? Where do you place your self-worth?

For years these questions haunted me. I hated answering them because I would be forced to lie. If I answered honestly, people would not like my answers. I would give them a satisfying answer, but inside my answer would be simple and singular. My answer would be nothing; I was nothing, I had no value, I was worth nothing. I felt like the only worth I had was to be invisible. I felt that I wasn't worth taking up others time or emotion. I felt that I was better off just being nothing. Now,I want to address certain groups about this.

To parents: Know you did nothing wrong. You were and still are amazing. I don't want you to feel bad for something I went through. It's not that you didn't make me feel special. I just didn't believe it.

To friends from the past: I'm sorry. I withheld parts of myself and kept myself from becoming close to anyone out of fear. Fear that you would see me and run because I hated what I saw, so I thought you would too. For that I'm so very sorry.

To current friends: Thank you. To burrow from the "Princess' Diaries": "You saw me when I was invisible." You showed me that I was worth something. That I could shine, and not be afraid. You saved me from myself. I will be grateful for that forever.

To others who feel invisible, there is hope. It took years to convince myself I'm worthless, and it'll take just as long to convince myself I'm worth something great. I've lived through that darkness and I've started to see the other side. Don't stop half way through. Keep going. Please. Because you are worth something. You are worth something great and beautiful. Please live and shine.