What Goes On Down Below
submitted by Leela
Montclair High School

I’ve always felt different from others, disconnected, removed from the norm, as if I was stuck underwater while everyone hung out above. Throughout my life, I’ve seen this as a disadvantage, believing that what set me apart made me less worthy. As you grow, your perspective begins to change, and you start to see your life through a different lens. Where dull things become full of life, and even the parts of me that feel unfamiliar hold beauty. I began to embrace what felt different about me, realizing that at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. We’re all stuck on this floating rock in space. What makes us different is the most beautiful thing of all. The woman dancing with the fish symbolizes how I’ve finally accepted feeling different from others, transforming what once felt isolating into something graceful and intentional.