Life, how you mock me.
You tripped me and made me lose my two front teeth.
I went five whole years with a lisp because of you.
You put me on a cheer squad with a losing team.
You made me forget how to dance while I was on stage.
You laughed when I smashed the DVD of the recital.

Life, why do you do this?
All I’ve done was love, and you hate.
All I’ve done was give, and you take.
All I’ve done was live, but you died.
You made me think that high school boy really loved me.
You made me think my art was good.
You made me think my friends were real.
Good one, I guess.

Life, you hurt so much.
You thought rebelling was fun,
And you thought boys were perfect angels.
You thought love was a game, and we lost.
You thought friendships didn’t matter.
You thought I wouldn’t make it.
But when you’re killing me,
I remember.

Life, I remember.
You may not, but I do.
I remember when you helped me back up after you pushed me down.
I remember how you let me trust again.
You gave me back my faith after you took it.
Thank you.
I remember how you dried my tears and told me it would get better.
I remember how you let me forget the past and focus on the future.

Thank you, Life,
For letting me live.

Here’s to you.