finding home

I wake up every morning,

put a smile upon my face,

Walk into a crowded room,

still feel so out of place.

They see me laughing,

think I'm doing okay,

But they don't see the tears that I keep locked away.

I'm only in Year Seven,

but my mind feels miles away,

I've got a thousand things I wish I knew how to say.

I'm trying to find the person I'm supposed to be,

But sometimes I look in the mirror and don't recognise me.

I say I'm fine,

I say I'm strong,

But I've been feeling lost for far too long.

I want to speak,

but the words won't come,

So I hide my hurt from everyone.

I love myself, but I don't feel like I belong,

I've been trying to be happy,

but I've been hurting all along.

I can be in a room of people and still feel alone,

Like everybody has a place,

but I can't find my home.

I'm Leah, I'm still learning,

I'm still trying to be me,

But there's so much underneath that nobody can see.

If I'm enough, then why's it so hard to believe?

I'm searching for the girl that I wish I could see.

They say these are the years that I'm supposed to shine,

But I'm fighting little battles that I never show outside.

I compare myself to people,

wonder what they have that I don't,

I tell myself I'm happy,

but sometimes I know I won't.

I change the way I talk,

change the way I dress,

Try to hide the parts of me that I like the least.

I'm scared that if I'm real,

they won't want me around,

So I build these little walls and never make a sound.

I say I'm fine,

I say I'm strong,

But I don't know where I fit along.

I wish somebody saw behind my eyes,

And heard the words I bury deep inside.

I love myself, but I don't feel like I belong,

I've been trying to be happy,

but I've been hurting all along.

I can be in a room of people and still feel alone,

Like everybody has a place,

but I can't find my home.

I'm Leah, I'm still learning,

I'm still trying to be me,

But there's so much underneath that nobody can see.

If I'm enough, then why's it so hard to believe?

I'm searching for the girl that I wish I could see.

Maybe I'm not broken,

maybe I'm just growing,

Maybe there's a strength in me that I don't yet know is

showing. Maybe I don't need to change to deserve a little love,

Maybe I don't need to be what they keep dreaming of.

I'm more than every rumour,

more than every tear,

More than all the little things I've worried about this year.

I'm allowed to feel lost,

I'm allowed to fall apart,

I'm still a work in progress,

with a whole and beating heart.

I love myself, even when I feel alone,

Even when I'm searching for a place to call my own.

I'm done with pretending that I never feel the pain,

I can cry a thousand tears and still get up again.

(yeah) I'm Leah, I'm still growing,

there's so much left to see,

I don't have to be somebody else to be worthy of being

me. And maybe I don't need all the answers right now,

Maybe I'll find where I belong,

somehow.

Dear mirror, dear Leah,

I hope you understand,

You don't have to have it figured out or have a perfect

plan. You're only in Year Seven,

you've got so much life ahead,

So please don't let the things they say decide what's in your

head.

You don't have to earn your place,

You don't have to hide your face.

And if the whole world feels like somewhere you don't belong