(17, CA, USA) Anonymous - My Upside of Exclusion

Initially, at a party, I felt left out and it seemed heart-breaking. While others were busy talking excitedly amongst themselves, I was on the fringes just watching. This time of aloneness enabled me to think about myself and my dreams without the interference of external distractions. Since then, this emptiness has forced me to dig deeper into my interests and goals thus making me to clearly identify with my way in life. What I came to realize is that I had overlooked writing as a passion for a long time and so this situation became an eye opener for me. To welcome myself into loneliness, I brought forth my notebook from where I wrote down concepts which have been bothering my mind concerning poems and stories. So as not to disturb anyone else’s sleep or wake any sleeping people up, I took up a pen in that momentary calmness; I can never forget the exhilaration of those words pouring onto blank pages. Eventually, being excluded made me find myself again as well as reignite the desire for writing which further enabled me jotting down what was actually happening inside me instead of keeping it within me only. It made me remember that sometimes solitude can be the richest ground for personal growth and self-discovery.