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The Edge of Seventeen
🕑 Added 2019-08-04 21:12:03 +0000 UTCBefore seventeen, I decided to join the military. I was unremarkable, had difficulty making friends, and my art was frequently dark. No longer on Ritalin, I couldn't concentrate, so my grades tanked. Puberty hit late, which meant I was small and skinny. Leading to frequently beat downs. I was not fast enough, or clever enough. Nobody defended me. Not the schools, nor my parents. Who referred to me as an idiot. Or hit me during a drunken rage. It was hell. I snapped, and ran.
When I was seventeen I experienced homelessness, came out as bisexual, was molested in a public Library, sexually assaulted, and had a Child Psychologist convince me to have sex with him. Then a gang beat me in my apartment, permanently damaging my face. The same place I fought cockroaches the size of some people's egos. I had so much anger. I was, quite frankly, not ok.
Dismantling the damage from those years has been exhausting, but I continue to make progress. If you are struggling, know that your journey isn't alone. It will take time to unlearn bad habits. Personal growth needs roots before you can truly bloom. People will not always be patient. But try. For yourself.
Thank you for supporting, and believing in my art.
Love,
Brandon
