the scenery was beautiful and the mountains and tress were huge. The water also adds to the picture since it adds more aesthetic to it.

My self portrait is of me and my friend right before a baseball game. It shows how much I love and enjoy playing the sport of baseball. And how even during a tough season I am happy just showing up to the field.

This picture to me is special as it was taken on 

August 26 2024, my 17th birthday. I am wearing three specific necklaces, the first one represents my favorite color blue. The second necklace (although it's blurry and hard to see) is a butterfly which is my favorite animal. And the last necklace is a locket from my best friend. 

I highlighted my eyes as it is my favorite facial feature. I believe that eyes can speak words that the mouth may have a hard time saying. The background of this selfie is taken in the city, the city lights show night life. The blurry background keeps the focus on my face but still allows for the art to be displayed. 

The image made me feel more than just positive energy; this self-portrait reminds me why its important for me personally to live life to the fullest and take advantage of the time I have while i'm here. As someone with anxiety, going out can be a very nerve-wracking experience for me, especially in a heavy public setting. Other times it can take over, and I can't always enjoy moments like this entirely. This picture encapsulates the meaning of just letting loose and being free to live life with no worries. I hope to take this with me throughout my adult life and let it serve as a reminder: We're here for a good time, not a long time.

But the reality was, I had felt small in many other occasions, every time I made a mistake, every time I met someone or was faced with something new, whenever I felt I just couldn't fit with my classmates or people my age.

It's a feeling that I have eventually accepted to be part of me, but I have also become to embrace it, sometimes feeling small gives me peace and relaxation, and yes, although sometimes I get stressed because I'm so small I can't do a big change, it also gives me peace because I'm not the only one feeling like this, and that gives me peace.

Recently I met with people that have gone through what I been through with my mom, and it felt so nice to talk to people that understood what I saw and experienced, it felt nice not having to give background or explain everything, because they knew, and yes, I felt small talking with them, I felt vulnerable and exposed, but I felt good.

This photo was supposed to be personal and only for me, but as of lately I had been thinking of posting it on social media and talking about this, I know that many people, just like me, may feel like this, too scared to ask the question to their loved ones, too scared to be vulnerable.

This photo shows all of what I've talked about, I put myself in grey because I wanted to show how most of the time I feel like I don't fit with those around me, I'm also giving my back to the camera, because I tend to avoid attracting attention to myself, the letters start going smaller and smaller, showing how sometimes we are too scared of asking the question and sharing how you feel with others, and then, we have the Grand Canyon in front, as a way of expressing how sometimes feeling small is not something bad and negative, and we shouldn't avoid feeling it but try to embrace it and understand it.

The cup of coffee represents my love for caffeinated drinks! Beside it, the leaves stand for my love of nature. The sand timer beside the coffee cup symbolizes my reliance on schedules and time keeping to keep me on track, though the fact that I chose a tiny sand glass rather than a large clock demonstrates the fact that I often fail to keep to schedule as much as I would like to! Behind it, you can see the cover of one of the five books I was blessed to publish. Another one of my books can be seen on the far left, beside my water bottle which sports a sticker based on an illustration within the book. The array of writing tools signifies my love for poetry and creative writing, while the assorted colors portray my love for art. There is a tiny green soccer ball all the way on the left, behind the book, which sadly was mostly cropped. However, it was there to represent my love of soccer. Lastly, the book on the top is the Quran, which I strive to live by and reflect upon.

Wrapping up,  the cluttered and colorful aspects of this picture resemble my life--an array of creativity, adventure, faith and inspiration with the occasional mess along the way!

This picture describes me because it signifies my hobbies and interests. My favorite sport is soccer, and I play it almost every day. I also watch soccer, and my favorite team is Manchester United. I also referee often.