"Be soft. Don't let this world make you hard. Don't let pain make you hate. Don't let bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place." - Kurt Vonnegut

People will tell you that the downfall of having a good heart is that you make angels out of demons, that you give people the power to walk all over you, that you allow yourself to be blinded from the cruelty of this world. But that's not entirely true.

It's okay. It's okay to have eyes that see the best in people. It's okay to have a heart that forgives the worst. It's okay to have a mind that forgets the bad. It's okay to have a soul that never truly loses faith in humanity, because that's what humanity is starving for: someone who sees the light in others and is willing to treat them as if that is all they see.

There's nothing wrong with being that person. People can say what they want, and they will, but you don't have to change to fit society's mold of how you should conduct yourself. You don't have to build walls around your heart to guard it, or make yourself seem stronger. It's okay to let people in and allow them to see the real you. Your good heart may end up broken a few times, but that's okay too, because you were made to love unconditionally and not to fear being broken. You don't have to pretend to be something you're not to protect yourself from heartbreak, because someday someone will come into your life so that you don't feel the need to change. Until then, love others so radically that they wonder why. They may not deserve it, but you do.

Your love, your good heart is never a waste. It is what makes you, you. It is not a sign of weakness. Kindness nor compassion is never weakness. The girl who is strong enough to be genuinely kind to those who do not deserve it is the strongest person you'll ever met.

So, it's okay. It's okay to apologize to those who aren't sorry. It's okay to extend kindness to those who don't return it. It's okay to show love to those who don't deserve it. They don't deserve it, but you do, because you better yourself by being the better person. Loving others is how you love yourself. They may not deserve what you give them. They may not return it. They may not appreciate it. They may not even acknowledge it, now. But they won't forget it, because, the truth is, people don't forget girls like you. They try. They may spend their entire lives trying, but they will never forget how your good heart impacted their lives, and how your love made them feel.

"In the long run, the sharpest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit." - Anne Frank