To Fly or to Fade

    A second before my plan worked and I soared into the sky, the umbrella bent backwards and my feet landed sturdily on the ground. That approach to flying never did work, neither did using a blanket as wings or running as fast as  I could. From as far back as I can remember until I was nine or ten I tried everything to fly, short of jumping off the roof (I came close to that once). But, as school added pressure I gave up on flying and focused solely on fitting in with whoever was considered cool.
    It became common knowledge that to be part of the "in-crowd" you had to do something that sounded a million times easier than it was, fit-in. All through middle school the goal was to fit-in with everyone else and not be labeled as a "loner" or "weird". This mind frame followed me halfway through high school and I spent my time hanging out with people because of how they would make me look, not how they would make me feel. I went out of my way to mold myself like play dough into what would make me accepted by the people I thought mattered. However, at the end of my sophomore year in high school I put aside this philosophy and my desire to fly returned.
    I had realized that by following the crowd there was nothing interesting about me, or at least nothing that wasn't interesting about a million other people as well. By giving up my dream to fly and to be so noticeably different, I was allowing myself to fade into the background. And no, I am not jumping off my swing-set with an umbrella, nor am I standing on the railing of my front porch flapping my arms with all my might; but I have found a method that has allowed me to fly.
    My newly discovered recipe for flight is very simple, and to some people I'm sure, very obvious. By being myself and letting go of all the things that I was doing for other people, I have finally soared into the clouds. My wings are not made of fluffy white feathers, but instead of the things that matter most to me: art, family, friends, and my own individuality. Instead of spending my time following the crowd, I spend my time enhancing my interest in art; adding gaffing and photography onto the age-old drawing and painting. I have also discovered a passion for not-so-common art. I have spent an unorthodox amount of time perfecting the art of chalk-drawing, whether it is on a chalkboard, side-walk, drive-way, or in the middle of the street. I have mastered drawing whales and dinosaurs and have chalk dust covering my hands and clothes more often than any six-year-old hopscotch star around.
    For a few years I forgot about my dreams, my hopes and my goals. But now that I've realized them again, I'm ready to reach for the stars. I plan on achieving all I can achieve and working as hard as I can to be better than anyone has so far expected of me. Someday, I will fly higher than I have ever dreamed, and I will continue dreaming of more ways to soar.