Illustrated by: Caitlin
Written by: Ashley
I remember simplicity, actually no I don’t
I remember the alphabet being simple, but sounding out words didn’t always work.
I remember being happy by myself, wait that’s a lie
I just remember being alone, meeting people was easy, but making friends was hard.
I remember being fearless, no
I remember the first time I was in a state of fear and that even if the lights were on I was still afraid.
I remember being loved, yeah I do remember being loved.
This story originally appeared in Facing Childhood and Adolescence in Iowa’s Cedar Valley, a publication of The Facing Project that was organized by the University of Northern Iowa in Waterloo, Iowa.