Perfect

I’ll live through you,
I’ll make you what I never was.
If you’re the best, then maybe so am I
Compared to him, compared to her.
I’m doing this for your own damn good.
You’ll make up for what I blew.
What’s the problem?
Why are you crying?
Alanis Morrissette, “Perfect”

Each person is only given one life to live, one chance to make something of themselves. If you spend your whole life trying to live through another person, you are doing yourself a great injustice. Life is what you make of it, not what someone else tells you to make. Yeah, you’ll make mistakes, but it is through those mistakes that you will learn and grow.

I am only one person. I am who I am, and the only reason that I am who I am is because I have lived and learned from my life. I have memories of great times that I have been through as well as scars from the hardest times of my life. Each scar, though, has a silver lining. It was by those scars that I have found my inner strength. It was by those scars that I learned many of life’s little lessons. It was by those scars that I came to the realization that I am my own best friend and most faithful ally.

I’m very proud of the person I have become. I’m strong, independent, and willing to take on most any challenge life throws at me. The one challenge I wish I never had to deal with is my family. Not my whole family, but a few members. Those certain members should really consider banding together and forming a club—The Chattanooga Chapter of the Bitter Broads of America Society, or CCBBAS for short.

I’m never good enough for them. I can never dress right. No matter what career choice I make, it’s just not right. My success rate is negative in their eyes because I’m following my dreams, not theirs.

I’ve never stood up to them. I know that I’m strong, but I don’t know if I’m strong enough to deal with the repercussions of a confrontation with the CCBBAS. I believe that their main purpose in life is to convert all those independent, happy souls into bitter broads like them. You know, suck out all the good energy and leave nothing but a hollow empty shell.

I may not have a job teaching. I may not have a boyfriend. I may still live with my father (who is the sworn enemy of the CCBBAS). I may be a lot of things that they don’t like, but I’ll guarantee you one thing. The one reason they dislike me so much is because I’m happy. Yes, I am happy, and no matter how much they try to cut me down and hurt me with their words, I will remain happy. Granted, I’ll have a few moments of downtime, but in the end, I’ll rise above their bitterness and be genuinely happy with the person I have become and the life that I am living.

Life is what you make of it. Whether you’re happy with your life or not is you decision. Set your goals high and strive to reach them. Live like every day is your last. Do not regret the past, but hold the past high in your mind as a learning experience. Do what you want to do, and don’t let anyone else try to steer you down a path you don’t want to be. Hey—you only get one chance to live. Do it right and do it your way.