All my life, I have been told I can't do things. I cannot smoke, or drink, I cannot date boys with tattoos or piercings. I cannot not go to school, or I will become a failure in life. A burden to society.

Don't get me wrong, now. I totally agree with many of the things adults tell me are wrong. These constant warnings are there to keep me safe, and healthy.

But then I have people, like parents, and teachers, and Dr. Seuss saying things like, "Dream big," "You can be anything you want," "You can steer yourself any direction you choose." This is all well and good, but then, as I get older, and I do "dream big." But when I tell these same people who said those encouraging things when I was little (well, except Dr. Seuss of course) what my big dreams are, and what that anything actually is, they give me these looks. Pursed lips, drawn eyebrows. A hard look directly in the eye. They say things like, "That's great."

But their faces are saying something completely different. Their faces are saying, "You cannot do it."

Why the sudden change of heart? Is it because I took the "anything" too seriously and my dream is impossible? Is it because the realization that their semi-truths and white lies had entered my impressionable young mind years ago as truths? Or perhaps because I grew up to be less than what they expected?

If popular media can show for it, my dream of being an author is not impossible. There are tons of mediocre writers putting drivel on paper and getting published right and left, even making the best-seller list. I don't dream that big.

And I don't think my parents and teachers are cruel enough to lie to seven year olds.
If my parents are disappointed in me in any areas, it is socially. "But who needs friends when you have characters, right?"

So what has caused them to begin lying to my face, saying, "That's great," in an uncertain tone when they clearly don't mean it?

I am not my parents or teachers, so I can't begin to guess.

Writing excites me. It makes me tear up, makes me laugh, gives me an outlet for emotions. It is not destructive, or dangerous, like pastimes my fellow students partake in. They need to be told, "You cannot do that, " yet often never hear those words. Why must adults think that about teens with dreams?

Because I am not the only one. Other people my age with dreams are shot down every day because they are "not old enough," "not smart enough," "not pretty enough," "not educated enough," "not enough." Not enough. Dreams are killed with these haunting words, because they will stick with you forever. I, too, have been "not enough."

Why can we not dream? Why this double standard of, "You can become whatever you choose," but not if there is a chance of failure. God forbid, you make a mistake!

Well, I say even thinking someone is "not enough" is a mistake. You killer of dreams. You thief of hopes. You horder of opportunities. You greedy, greedy person.

Let us not think, "We are not enough." Adults, let us dream big. Let us reach for the moon, and then the stars, and if we feel like it, let us set our sights on other galaxies. Let us make mistakes, if we must, and learn for ourselves. And if we fail, help us back up and find another dream.

Just don't kill our dreams.