I am from Diane and Tim

I am from a small, tight-knit neighborhood that could be in the middle of nowhere or the reality of only 10 minutes from downtown

I am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the United States, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Serbia, and Slovakia

I am from long trips on the PAT bus

I am from saying I’m too tired but still waking up at seven on the weekends

I am from spending $5 on a coffee to refusing to only going to the museum late enough that admission is half price

I am from being bossy and loud and an attention-seeking performer

I am from being coined as "the difficult child" and "fiercly indpendent" by parents, yet they claim they wouldn't want things any other way

I am from loving when my name is printed in any publication-big or small (and saving cut outs of them)

I am from being the fastest reader in second grade and the first one to finish my multiplication worksheets in third

I am from hours spent on homework, research papers, and SAT prep

I am from all the stories I’ve started and never finished

I am from rather staying inside to read books than going out with friends

I am from dreading sitting at home on Friday nights and dreading Monday mornings even more to hear all about everything I wasn’t invited to

I am from feeling like I have no real friends, but being surrounded by tons of people

I am from finally feeling like I belong 

I am from fearing gorillas, car crashes, and, most of all, loneliness

I am from maur.velous and earth-to-maurs and makeuplessmaura and maurtian

I am from thinking that he liked me to later finding out that I was just a friend

I am from the hours spent at the grocery store with my mom or biking with my dad

I am from holding my sister’s hair back when her anxiety makes her food come back up

I am from being good, but never good enough

I am from eating too little or too much

I am from unsureness, worry, and agony

I am from activism, smiles, and the reality

I am me.