I was a toddler going between houses
One weekend at dads, one weekend at moms
I cried because the inconsistency was hard,
but i had no choice
Even a simple “I love you Jess” could break me down because I knew most of the time, that meant goodbye
I missed my mom when I was with dad and vice versa
I knew I took things harder than most kids, but why me I always wondered

Five years old.
My first day of Kindergarten I had already met the person I would call my best friend the next few years to come
She was blonde and had more sassiness to her Joan Jett in the 80’s
Little did I know that she would be going through some of the same struggles as I would be
The teachers screeching voice is almost as painful as those goodbyes I faced every weekend
It almost felt as if our teacher dunked our heads underwater, not giving us a chance to breathe and show our true colors

13 years old.
Middle school was a Wisconsin Monday morning where everyone else got a snow day but us
It was teachers trying to prepare you for high school but severely failing at it
It’s where I would meet my first boyfriend
He would confirm for me yet again, that goodbyes are hell
It seemed my whole life was just one giant GOODBYE

17 years old
Senior year
So close yet so far away from graduation
The amount of stress I have is enough for the 7 billion people on this earth
Between my mother nagging on me to apply for scholarships and all the other possibilities a teenage girl could be going through, it’s crazy inside my mind
Family is becoming more important than all the fake high school friends you had freshman year
Work and school have taken up my life, and it’s hard to find time to rest
High school was hectic and yet again reminded me what “I love you” meant to me as a child
Soon I would be walking across a stage and basically telling everyone goodbye
I knew I took things harder than most kids, but why me I always wondered