Not Trying To Be A Disappointment

What I wish adults would understand

is that teenagers are just trying to find their place

in this messed up world.

Mom, I'm not trying to be rude to the house guests.

Dad, I can't help my neurodivergence.

It's not my fault.

I'm not trying to make your lives harder.

I just want to find my place.

Teenagers,

we're going through so many changes

in our bodies and

not given the space to grow.

There are so many distractions:

phones, social media, family expectations,

you name it.

We have to worry about

getting perfect grades,

relationships with our classmates,

and staying on the good side with our teachers.

The endless notifications and deadlines

they overwhelm me.

They turn me over and strip me of my dignity

under I have nothing left to offer.

I keep comparing myself

to the people I see on screens

while I just can't seem

to like what I see

in the mirror.

Is it too much to ask

to give me some slack

without being a disappointment.

These bricks,

they're mounting up on my shoulders.

I'm concerned with

what my future holds,

of letting you down,

of the need to fit in with the crowd.

What if they're too

heavy for me to carry?

It's 2025,

it's harder than ever to

connect with other people, to

find relatability, to

cultivate healthy relationships.

They say that they value our opinions,

but criticize us if we speak too loud.

I'm trying to figure out how to be

the perfect daughter, but I can't help feeling

like I owe something to everyone in this world.

I want people to like me,

but they don't like me.

We have to fight so much

but are given so little to fight with.

Will you believe me if I say,

I'm not trying to be a disappointment.