Teens Meet Outreach

She looked into the mirror, not to fix a thing,
but to meet the woman who had weathered
yet another silent storm.

Hair tied in a half-hearted bun,
sweatpants soft with memory,
eyes a little tired, but honest.
That was enough.

Some days didn’t come with fire.
They arrived slowly, like fog
curling through a morning window,
unapologetic, unimpressive to the world.

But she was learning
that rest, too, is a kind of rebellion,
that stillness doesn’t mean failure.

There were years she only felt worthy
if she was shining—
first, best, most loved.

Now she is making peace
with second places,
with standing in the wings,
with her own quiet applause
rising from within.

Not everyone will understand her softness,
not everyone needs to.
She is not built for every room,
but she must belong in her own skin.
That is the only belonging
that will ever matter.

And today, she does.

About the Author:
Siya Jain is a 16-year-old student from India who first began writing poetry to ease her mind, and slowly found a love for it.