SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING FLAUNT IT AWARD FINALIST

Have you ever been in a friendship where you are the odd one out? It’s not a thing that occurs out of malicious intent, but rather an organic growth.  The friends you made found more common interests within each other than they did with you and you naturally get left out of conversations and activities until you (who originally got everyone together) are ostracized. I’ve had many friendships in my life where it has turned out like this. Eventually, I developed a fear of missing out. I feared not being included in conversations and fear not being invited to activities. I felt like an awkward skirt in a room of dancing pants. The one in the corner at parties. I felt like I was left behind as but a memory in time. I kept chasing after the people that did not want me. I felt like I had to please people and keep them entertained otherwise they would leave me. However, after I broke up with my ex-best friends, I realized there was no reason to do so. If they did not want me and if they choose each other than there is no reason to want people who do not want me. I found new friends and learned to love myself more. Why bother to fit in?