"We're all damaged in our own way. Nobody's perfect. I think we're all somewhat screwy. Every single one of us."
-Johnny Depp
We've all been damaged in some way.
All been broken at one point or another in our lives.
All been in the position where we weren't quite sure which direction we were supposed to head.
We've all been blindsided. All been left stranded, confused and hurt. All been desperate for answers that we knew we'd never get.
We've all had the midnight meltdowns. All felt alone in a crowded room. All questioned ourselves too many times to count.
We all have scars from our past. All have bruises that haven't quite healed. All have cuts that still bleed with ghosts from our past.
We all feel pain that we are certain no one else understands. We all know what it's like to go through it.
We've all been here. None of us are perfect. None of us will ever be perfect.
We don't realize that the people we see as perfect are just as damaged as we are. We don't realize that we are longing for a circumstance that isn't much different from our own.
We don't look at the past of everyone else, so why do we do it to ourselves? Why do we knock ourselves down? Why don't we think we're worth it?
Because we know we're damaged.
We see our own scars and feel our own pain. We know our past and feel like it's on display for everyone else to see.
I'm here to tell you that no one sees those scars, bruises or open wounds. You're the only one that sees any of that.
No one can look at you and know everything you've gone through or every mistake you've made.
Stop being so damn hard on yourself.
If someone treated you the way you treat yourself, I guarantee you wouldn't tolerate it. If someone said the things that you've said to yourself, you wouldn't be around them.
So, stop it.
Look at yourself and see the damage as beautiful. See it as what it is. Just experiences that have turned you into the amazing person you are.
What you've experienced in life doesn't define you. It's not who you are as a person. If it was, we'd all be some seriously screwed up people.
You are amazing. You are worth so much more than you give yourself credit for. You deserve to be happy.
You will never be too damaged.
There is always going to be someone that loves every part of you, including your scars. There's always going to be someone that cares for you.
And you will always be that person for someone else as well.
So, stay strong, for that person. Stay amazing, for you. And stay you, for the world.
-A Damaged Person
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