You are Beautiful | Teen Ink

You are Beautiful

November 15, 2014
By EmilytheBelleofA. DIAMOND, Athens, Georgia
EmilytheBelleofA. DIAMOND, Athens, Georgia
81 articles 5 photos 1486 comments

Favorite Quote:
To love is to be vulnerable; Triumph is born out of struggle; We notice shadows most when they stand alone in the midst of overwhelming light.


Dear Child,

Let me tell you a story.
A butterfly flew by me once,

and I saw the scars
on its wings.

I asked it,

“Why do you have scars?”



And the butterfly —

the butterfly looked at me

and said

“I have scars because I once,

didn’t see how beautiful I was.

And so I cut

and gave myself scars;
taking pleasure
in the pain;

thinking I deserved it.”



“So child,

the scars
that you see

on my wings?

I gave those,

to myself,

because I couldn’t see

how beautiful

my wings were.”



“I couldn’t see

my own wings;

I didn’t know

and I didn’t see

how truly beautiful
they were,

when everyone could.”



“You humans

are like that too.

You cannot see

your own beauty,

when others can.

You humans

are truly beautiful

in your own way

and unique way too.”



“So yes, child.

I once used to

fly on broken wings,

and that

did not really work;

but still,

I flew —

because I have wings.”



“I fly with scars

on my body

and my wings,

yes.

But I do not care

what others

think;

for I fly,

and I know

that the One

who made me

and crafted my wings,

thinks I am beautiful.”


The author's comments:

I was inspired to write this, when I read a writer's story on Teen Ink. I was also inspired by my past experiences; for I once used to cut.

 

But now it has been months, since I have cut myself. The thoughts to cut myself, to hurt myself have been not come as much as before. As I went deeper and grew deeper into God's love and beauty and truth, those thoughts have started to evaporate and flee from His light; I just stopped cutting. 

 

You are beautiful. You are so, so beautiful; you are beautiful because you are you, and no-one can ever be you. You are simply just beautiful. God stares at you and envelopes you with His love for you because you are beautiful. 

 

You. Are. Beautiful. No arguing, okay? Thank you for taking the time to read this. :)


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This article has 7 comments.


on Feb. 7 2015 at 7:36 pm
EmilytheBelleofA. DIAMOND, Athens, Georgia
81 articles 5 photos 1486 comments

Favorite Quote:
To love is to be vulnerable; Triumph is born out of struggle; We notice shadows most when they stand alone in the midst of overwhelming light.

Sorry for the late reply!

on Feb. 7 2015 at 7:36 pm
EmilytheBelleofA. DIAMOND, Athens, Georgia
81 articles 5 photos 1486 comments

Favorite Quote:
To love is to be vulnerable; Triumph is born out of struggle; We notice shadows most when they stand alone in the midst of overwhelming light.

Thank you so much, @JRaye . This poem really means a lot to me, so your comment means a lot to me and has encouraged me. Also, you're welcome. :) I'm glad that you loved it and that it broke your heart in a good way and that you could connect to it. :) Haha, that is cool. I never noticed that until you said that. :) Thank you, again. :)

JRaye PLATINUM said...
on Feb. 3 2015 at 8:55 pm
JRaye PLATINUM, Dorr, Michigan
43 articles 10 photos 523 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If you build your house far enough away from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you."

"Have you ever looked fear in the face and said, 'I just don't care.'?"

Oh goodness, this broke my heart...in the best way... I love how innocent you made it seem, giving a cartoonish talking butterfly, well scars. That gave it such a surreal, spooky yet enchanting feel to it, if that makes sense. :) I'm so happy that you're better. I've had a friend that used to cut too, completely saved by God and his friends and his loving girlfriend - love is really what gets you through it. I have Asberger Syndrome, a mild autism, and used to be REALLY insecure about it...thanks for writing this :) Absolutely loved it. (PS, I can't help but notice that these comments are each roughly a month apart! Which is cool! For some reason! :D)

on Jan. 2 2015 at 7:58 am
EmilytheBelleofA. DIAMOND, Athens, Georgia
81 articles 5 photos 1486 comments

Favorite Quote:
To love is to be vulnerable; Triumph is born out of struggle; We notice shadows most when they stand alone in the midst of overwhelming light.

Thank you, so much. It means a lot, to me. I'm also, truly glad that my poem has touched you for you are truly beautiful and you are an amazing person too. I'm also, glad that my poem isn't flowery, haha. I don't think that I'm that type of girl, haha. I suppose, I might have been flowery in some of my other writings, but I'm usually just passionate. I'm glad that my poem spoke to you; this is one the personal poems that I've written and that mean a lot to me. I'm also, glad that the image of a butterfly, a butterfly that changes is something that you can associate with a close friend. You're absolutely, welcome. Thank you for commenting and making my day with your comments. :)

on Jan. 1 2015 at 11:44 am
3wordstodescribeme GOLD, Albuquerque, New Mexico
12 articles 1 photo 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
"In the end, we all become stories." --Margaret Atwood

wow. this poem really touched me on a deep and personal level. I have never cut (good for you for quitting! That's amazing!), but I've had a lot of trouble with body image and eating disorders in the past. This poem really spoke to me. It's simple, not at all flowery, but that makes it a lot more powerful, I think. The image of a butterfly is one that is evocative of change or transformation, and an image I associate with a dear, dear, friend. Thank you for sharing this. It's really amazing.

on Dec. 1 2014 at 9:38 pm
EmilytheBelleofA. DIAMOND, Athens, Georgia
81 articles 5 photos 1486 comments

Favorite Quote:
To love is to be vulnerable; Triumph is born out of struggle; We notice shadows most when they stand alone in the midst of overwhelming light.

Haha, thanks, Renda! I am also proud that you haven't cut in months. :) I'm guessing that it has been 3 months or more since I cut myself. I sometimes still get thoughts of cutting myself and thinking of trying to commit suicide, but I haven't had those thoughts in a while. I'm actually going to write about that soon and see if I can share it. Thank you so much, Renda! For commenting, encouraging me and for comenting and telling me what you thought about my poems. :) And I will stay beautiful, haha. You stay beautiful too, 'kay? :) Thank you so much, again Renda, my friend! :)

on Dec. 1 2014 at 12:07 pm
Princess.Renda GOLD, Travelers Rest, South Carolina
14 articles 0 photos 159 comments

Favorite Quote:
"All the world is made of faith, trust, and pixie dust." --J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

I am SO proud of you for not cutting anymore!! <3 I myself have been clean of cutting for a few months too, so I'm right there with you, babe :) I really truly adore this poem too; it really makes me feel a gigilion times better about myself. Thank you so, so , so much for sharing this <3 <3 <3 Just the other day I had the thoughts of cutting, but painfully swallowed them down. This poem is now really helping me see I don't need to cut. Thank you :))) Stay beautiful, and keep writing, love :)