Remember when life was all about you?

When you could dress up as a princess any time of the day,

And you could get away with a tantrum when things didn’t go your way?

When you had to be in bed by 8:00 pm on a school night,

And your parents would come and tuck you in just right?

I remember when life was all about me.

 

Remember when life stopped being about you?

When your parents came home with a new “bundle of joy,”

And everyone’s attention was on this new decoy?

When you wanted to answer the question but so did your friend,

And the teacher had to ignore your raised hand?

I remember when life stopped being about me.

 

Remember when you realized life stopped being about you?

When you’re on the playground alone in the sand,

Because nobody wants to play the game you planned?

When there’s a kid with something different about him that you see,

And you realize he has problems you can’t begin to conceive.

I remember when I realized life stopped being about me.

 

Remember when you thought life hated you?

When it’s homecoming night and you want to go get your date,

And instead you stay home crying, stressed over your weight?

When it’s 2:00 am and life’s crashing down chaotically,

And you think about the bottle of painkillers in the pantry?

I remember when I thought life hated me.

 

Remember when life made you realize your worth?

When you worked all quarter on that one class grade,

And it finally rose from a B+ to an A?

When your friend who was struggling is finally happy,

And you’re the one who helped her learn that she could be?

I remember when life made me realize my worth.

 

Remember when you realized life is so much more?

When it’s the end of your high school junior year,  

And you realize you’re almost done with everyone here?

When the truth finally hits you like a brick in the face,

That there are problems in life that you must learn to embrace?

I remember when I realized life is so much more.

 

Remember when you realized you are so much more?

When you look in the mirror right before a big day,

And you know you’ll crush any problems coming your way?

When you meet a person and you feel endless love for them,

And you realize you would do anything for them?

I remember when I realized I am so much more.

 

Remember when life showed you how to change?

When you were faced with an issue you couldn’t ignore,

And you solved it all by yourself, unlike ever before?

When you tried to fix another problem but it couldn’t be fixed,

And you learned to accept and love it because that’s just how life is?

I remember when life showed me how to change.

 

And it changed my life.