What Happened?

Sometimes I look at the life I have now and think, wow so much has changed. my entire Life has changed in a matter of months. Everything used to be so great. but i never knew how great it was until it was gone. If i could go back, I wouldn't take a second for granted of those years when we were young and innocent. We were so oblivious to the world and all of its influences. We knew that all we needed was each other. Our heads were full of dreams and positive, wishful thinking. We thought nothing was impossible. All things could be accomplished with the right perseverance. What has happened? All we think about is what others think of us. What happened to being happy with who we are? I am a firm believer that only a small percentage of us get to be truly happy with who we are. While the rest of us feel forced to conform to the world. I would like to think that I am in that small percentage who feels completely happy with who they are and all they have accomplished. I am not there yet, nor will i be for a while. The path that I have chosen to take is one less traveled, one that is hard because most of it is walked alone. I once read a quote on my teacher's wall that said, " Stand up for what is right even if you're standing alone." i have read this quote several times but i have never truly felt the meaning of it until just recently. I have confidence that this rough path that I have chosen will pay off someday. While so many others dreams will be crushed, mine may very well be fulfilled. but this doesn't mean that it won't come with a price. i pay for my decision daily. I pay for it when i set back and watch the people closest to me throw their lives away. I see once beautiful young men and women become dark. The beautiful light of life that used to glow around them fades away slowly until it is completely gone. I wonder how i can still stand where i am right now, knowing that everything could change in an instant. sometimes I feel so alone that i want to join them, I want to turn back on this path and end all of the difficulty and pain that comes with it. I was once told, "Brittany, no matter how much you want to save the world you can't, because most of the world doesn't want to be saved." My response to this was, "If i cant give back, and if i cant share the blessings that I have with others, then to me, life isn't worth living." I want to let people know that there is hope for the helpless, strength for the weary and love for the broken heart. So many people didnt understand that things could be different. They didn't understand that there is hope. Even though my supply of hope dwindles for time to time, it is indeed there. I will know if I lose it when I find myself conforming to the world. I hope and pray this never happens.