Cause It's The Least I Can Do

To Christine- by Susan Forde

I wish I could tell you

That you’re not too fat

That you’re fine the way you are

That you’re pretty enough

And you don’t have to wear punishing heels

I wish I could make you believe

That you don’t have to starve yourself

Or add to your chest

To fit this year’s fashions.

And I wish I could tell you,

To love yourself as much as you love him.

You don’t have to make yourself

Into his ideal

The real you is worth so much more.

But I’m only one voice,

Against so many

The magazines with diets and makeovers

That you read

The fairytale your mother read you,

Where the mermaid gave her voice

To be what the prince wanted.

Oh, I wish I could make you listen

But I’m only one voice

Drowned out by so many.

This is one of the most inspirational poems I ever read, and surprise, it was in grade ten English! But it has really stuck with me through the years. As a teenager, especially a teenage girl, we complain constantly about the drama, the peer pressure and all the other fooey that goes on in the hallowed hall we call high school. The fact is that you always want what you can't have. It's hard to grow up never being the "prettiest" girl. It feels like everyone has something that you don't. Your dreams always seem unreachable and unachievable.

But that's what everyone wants you to think. If you have your frends, and you always stay true to yourself, this world is a great place to be! Long as you yourself know the truth and know that you're doing your very best, no one else matters very much anyways. Additionally stay true to your friends because you never know what battle they may be fighting. Be sure to support and love all you can. Because:

"You do it for the joy it brings
Because you're a joyful girl
Because the world owes me nothing
And we owe each other the world
I do it cause it's the least I can do
I do it cause I learned it from you
I do it just because I want to..."

- Joyful Girl by Dave Matthews Band