YOU ARE UNIQUE! EVERYONE IS!

I was a high school student when I first found myself thinking ‘Why is she more beautiful than me? Why is she always the best in class? I am not as slim as her. I’m not beautiful.’

Years went by. I started university and had some other girls around me. Some of them were more beautiful than me, some of them were richer, and some were more intelligent. These ideas got me into a time of depression. I didn’t want to see anyone. I didn’t want to go to school. I did not want to be a part of the society I was in. My parents were worried. They took me to a therapist. We had therapy sessions for a few months. It didn’t seem to work. I was still depressed and thought I was nothing but a loser.

Then one day, I had to see one of my literature professors at school. I had to give my homework to her. I knocked the door, got in and gave her the homework. I was about to leave the room when she suddenly said, ‘Ashley, could you stay for a moment? I want to talk to you.’ I turned back and sat on the chair in front of her. She looked at me with her beautiful smiling eyes. ‘You know what, sweetheart, life is a mirror. If you smile at it, it smiles back at you.’ It was a moment of surprise for me. I didn’t understand what she meant. She said, ‘Don’t let yourself lose the moments of joy in life. Hold on to it! You are unique. There is no other you. There will never be someone like you. Love that idea and hold on to it.’ That was it. When I left the room that day, I took a deep breath in and said to myself, ‘Stop comparing yourself to others!’

Since that day, I have been happy, successful and grateful because I learned how to like my face, my body, my soul and my character. The others? They are a part of my life but they are not my ‘comparing tools’. ‘Life is a mirror. If you smile at it, it smiles back at you.’