At 6, I was told I was gifted

Life came easy

It was as light as a dusk breeze in July

At 12, I realized I wasn’t the only gifted child out there

I realized there were others like me

There were others that were smarter and more talented

At 13, came the pandemic

A time of isolation and loneliness

In came the depression

The anxiety and the diagnosis of ADHD

At 15, I came into a new environment

Surrounded by sights and smells that were familiar, yet quite unknown

Thrown into the abyss that is high school

At 16, here I am writing this, questioning the future ahead

Wondering if I have to strength to move on

To move forward

Life moves too fast

I wish I took the time to experience innocent youth

Before the grasp of a disillusioned present

Pulled me into a state of longing

A longing that will never be satisfied

That will always hunger for a new life

A life where I knew what I missed

A life where I was no longer special or gifted

A life where I could have experienced a sense of normality