Emerging into a vast new world,
head first, completely innocent, fearless
Mind empty, but full of space to hold
her every new experience that lies ahead.

The early years.
Careless, unaware, peaceful.
Eyes half closed, she dreams of what could be.

The terrible two's.
Reckless, messy, confused.
So much to share, bottled up inside,
she's just waiting to show the world.

The Kindergartener.
Lost, excited, courageous.
She idolizes all who stand taller than her
barely two feet tall frame.

The first grader.
Shy, embarrassed, misplaced.
Searching for friends is hard,
when they come and go each year.

The second grader.
Beaming with false confidence,
she continues searching for the ones
who might accept the real her.

Third grade.
The turning point.
She is positive and self-assured.
One person is all it takes to bring
out the girl who has been hiding this whole time.

Fourth grade.
The year of friendships.
She meets the people who will stand by her,
no matter what, for the rest of her days.

The fifth grader.
With loyal sidekicks and an understanding of her place,
she is now lively, and sets off to give herself a name.

Middle school.
Confident at first, then stuck with the realization of it all.
She searches for herself, in a crowd doing just the same.
Friends come, friends go.
But some stay forever.

High school.
Unexpected and hard-hitting.
Temptations and pressure come from every angle,
but she is strong enough to stay true to herself.

The real world.
Difficult to predict, as it could go any way.
Her only hope is to someday look back at her life,
and enjoy watching it.