I AM What I Am

All of her life, Sana had always been loud and cheerful; the typical girl with the loudest laughter, the silliest jokes, and of course, would never take life seriously. She was the friend who could raise the energy of an entire room by her mere presence. But oftentimes, her friends would tell her, "You speak too much!"

Instead, they made her laugh like everything was okay and pretended those words never hurt as they really did. These people didn't know that there was a storm inside of her. Well, to be loud because she doesn't want to stay with her thoughts, not think of all these diversions of life. She makes jokes because sometimes, she tries to convince herself that everything is okay in this world.

Moving to an entirely different country broke that trend; the overseas studies were a whole new world, with the culture, and a newer version of herself. Here, she would be wyld and much more free of the need to even prove anything to anyone. Here, for the first time, she was just going to be. No more wearing a mask of endless energy—she could also enjoy quiet moments.

But leaving home was not easy. The homesickness included the roads she used to roam, the sounds her parents made talking in another room, and even the smell of her favorite homemade food. Some nights, creeping loneliness would settle, but she did not let that get her down; she was going to conquer this new place.

One of the redeeming things, however, was the best friend from whom it was not going to be just a friend, but family. They would study together, laugh together, and watch each other through all the highs and lows. She understood then that home was not only a place; sometimes, it was also a person.

Through this journey, Sana discovered something important; that she had been needing validation her whole life; she needed only one thing now—accept—to learn to accept herself. She no longer bothered if people thought she was too loud or too quiet, too much, or not enough; she was right through her expectations.

Chasing her dreams was now the core of her existence. The worlds of journalism and media offered an exhilarating picture to her mind, as she was fully aware that there were tales in her mind waiting to be told—tales and stories that matter. This was all about using her voice, not just in an entertaining way, but through which she would make a difference.

For the first time in her life, she wasn't simply a girl trying to belong; she was a girl constructing her own space in the world. And all she wanted was one thing—someone who would accept her as she was.

And perhaps, she realized, that someone had to be herself.

The journey wasn't about finding a place to belong but about embracing every facet of who she was—the loud, the quiet, the dreamer, and the fighter. She no longer sought acceptance from the world; instead, she was learning to give it to herself.

With this newfound clarity, Sana moved forward, her heart feeling lighter and her purpose more defined. There was no need to dim her light or amplify it for others—she was enough just as she was. And with that realization, she felt ready to tackle whatever lay ahead.

No matter where life led her, she was certain of one thing—she was finished shrinking to fit into spaces that were never meant for her. The world would hear her voice, and this time, she wouldn’t apologize for it.

life!