At Sixteen

At sixteen, 

They painted me as an outlier, 

A square peg yearning for round holes, 

Where I believed I could never belong. 

Until the lessons of youth unfolded, 

Revealing a truth so vivid and profound: 

The world, in its boundless expanse, 

Harbors places where fit perfectly isn't just a dream,

But a testament to diversity's embrace.

Sixteen became the year of awakening, 

Not just to the rhythm of my own heartbeat, 

But to the courage that thrummed beneath my skin— 

The audacity to claim your space, 

In the mosaic of existence. 

A space where my angles and corners,

Weren't anomalies but pieces of a larger puzzle, 

Where every fit was a revelation of belonging.

It taught me the beauty of viewing the world 

Through a kaleidoscope of perspectives, 

Celebrating those who experience it differently. 

Our distinct voices, once muffled and unsure, 

Found strength in the echoes of each other, 

Rising in a chorus that painted the skies, 

With the hues of our varied narratives.

Sixteen illuminated the power 

Of owning my story, 

Of living unapologetically in my authenticity. 

Where once I believed I had to round my edges 

to navigate the confines of a circle-centric world, 

I discovered that the universe itself is amorphous, 

Ever-expanding to encompass,

The multitude of shapes we embody.

In claiming my space, 

I found solace in the company of other square pegs, 

Each radiant in their defiance of conventional molds. 

Together, we carve out places where we not just fit but flourish, 

Where our differences aren't just tolerated but celebrated. 

For in this vast, variegated expanse of existence, 

Our unique contours contribute to the masterpiece of humanity.

So, at sixteen, 

I learned to embrace my geometry, 

To find pride in the angles that set me apart. 

In a world eager to file down my edges, 

I choose instead to shine, 

A testament to the beauty of existing as you are— 

Square peg, round hole, or anything in between.

- Aspen Greenwood