Dear seventeen year old me. I’m sorry for letting you down. I’m sorry for prioritizing others opinions and wellbeing over you. I’m sorry for starving you. For denying you happiness. I’m sorry for saying mean things to you. For hating your body. For letting others decide your worth. I’m sorry for dressing the way other people thought you should. For cancelling the activities you loved. For not raising my voice in class not to be the loud one. For not listening to your needs and dreams. For letting you believe that you needed diets or plastic surgery. I’m sorry that I wasn’t there when you needed me so badly. I’m sorry for pushing away all the people who wanted to stand by your side and I’m sorry that I let you believe that they didn’t really love you. I’m sorry that I waited for everyone elses acceptance when all I really needed was my own. I would never watch someone I love go through what you went through and I can’t believe I have done this to you. I just want to let you know that I’m here now. That I care. And that in me, every broken piece of you still lives but I will never let you down again. I will laugh and I will dance and I will live for you and for every other seventeen year old girl who is told the same thing that you were. For every minute, every day and every year that I didn’t. For all the ones before me that never got to where I am today and lived their entire lives after someone elses rules. I’m sorry. I love you. I’m here now.