Expressing Myself

I’ve always considered myself to be creative, but for the longest time, I never knew how to express myself. I was in elementary school, probably around 2^nd or 3^rd grade when I was starting to be bullied. It even got to the point where I ended up punching a kid! Yeah, that happened. While I’m unsure as to when it first started, I do know that I began to express my feelings through poetry. My first poems were basic at best, and at worst, they were verbal garbage. But writing poetry is like riding a bike – the more you practice and the more you use it, the better you will be at it.

And though this has continued, it has lessened itself through the actions of my best friend of 8 years this September, Chaz Morris. Although most call him Chaz-Mo, I myself call him Chazzie Boy and I’m the only one able to call him that, no one else can We met in September of 2012, the day after I moved here from California, on the second day of 8^th grade at John Adams Middle School. Chaz and I have been through a lot – middle school, high school, relationships, break-ups from those relationships, we played sports together, there is nothing I wouldn’t do for him, and the feeling is mutual. In fact, he’s probably the only person outside of my immediate family that I can truly say I would willingly lay down my life for. Through him, I’ve learned different ways to express myself. I’ve learned to joke around, be less serious, have fun and enjoy life. I’ve also learned kindness, empathy, and compassion, and I’ve received the same from him. Without him, I more than likely wouldn’t be the person I have become today, since before I met him, I was arrogant, cocky, mistrustful of others, and not nearly as kind or empathetic as I am now. Throughout my entire life, I’ve never had a friend as supportive as him. So, while I was not expressing myself creatively, I was indeed expressing myself through him, if that makes any sense.

In my life, I have faced hardships. But I have also learned ways to appropriately handle those hardships, through learning how to express myself through written words, and how to express myself through spoken words and my actions, all thanks to Chaz.