The last 2 Saturdays, my Facebook feed has been bombarded by photos of prom dresses. Knowing I missed out on my senior prom makes me feel slightly abnormal, not going to lie. Ever since I turned 16, I was always confused as to why no one ever asked me to a dance. I was stood up literally 2 days before my junior prom and had many other similar disappointments. BUT, guess what I have learned… My beauty, potential, and worth is not and should not be contingent upon whether or not I ever went to a high school dance (that wasn’t girl’s choice). For awhile, I could not understand why my high school experience was so different from all the pictures I was seeing on Facebook. Then, I realized that life isn’t about prom dresses…life is about progressing in a way that makes YOU the best version of yourself. For some, that progression includes going to high school dances. For me, it didn’t. Back then, I would have never been thankful for all of the stand-up dates and disappointments I experienced. But now, I can’t imagine my life without them. I am who I am because of the pain I had to experience. At times, I felt alone. However, I am thankful for that loneliness because it made me love my family more than I could ever iterate. T
hank you to my siblings for helping me “laugh it off”.. Thank you to my dad for priesthood blessings and telling me I am beautiful..
hank you to my siblings for helping me “laugh it off”.. Thank you to my dad for priesthood blessings and telling me I am beautiful..
Most of all, thank you to my perfect-for-me mother for teaching me to walk through inevitable adversity with a smile on my face.This is probably the strangest way to wish my mom a Happy Mother’s Day… But I don’t care. Mom, thank you for letting me buy that prom dress of my dreams even though it never was put to use. Thank you for holding my heart when I couldn’t do it myself. Most of all, thank you for helping me realize how much life exists beyond prom dresses and dates in high school. My life I owe to you. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY MOM!
See another story about Eliza and her Mom here.
Story written by: Eliza Merrill
This story appeared on Real Imprints.