Once upon a time,

there lived a child with big hope and little dreams.

The child wanted to see the world and find that dream.

 

Once upon a time,

there was a teen with big dreams and little hope.

The teen wanted to turn back time to when they were younger.

 

Once upon a time,

there was a child who worked hard and succeeded.

The child's life looked to be smooth and seamless.

 

Once upon a time,

there was a teen who worked hard and barely made it.

The teen's life looked to be smooth and seamless too.

 

Once upon a time,

there was a child whose world was actually falling down.

The child had the mind of an sickly adult and lost their hope.

 

Once upon a time,

there was a teen whose world was actually falling down as well.

The teen was battling new and old demons, pretending they were okay.

 

Once upon a time,

the child and the teen walked side by side in a dreamland.

The two could see each other, but the image wasn't clear.

 

And once upon a time,

the two thought about what would happen if they stopped.

If they were to no longer walk at all, not there or anywhere.

 

But "once upon a time" is just another way to say "long ago".

And somehow the child's hope made the teen keep going.

For that child was the teen's younger self.

 

Today and in the future,

if the teen would keep living, it would be for that kid.

Because the kid deserved better than everything the teen could offer.

 

Today and in the future,

the teen will become an adult, then an elder, then a ghost.

But right now, that teen is me, finally with a strong will to live.