I remember the first post I wrote on this blog, a blog I had no idea what would become. In the beginning, I didn't write this blog for myself, because I didn't know what that meant. I didn't even know who I was. I would think about this sometimes, about what impact my words would have, or whether or not anyone read it. But now, four years later, I understand that this blog was meant for only me. It wasn't always written for me, but with other people in mind. And for a while, this almost made me ashamed.

Almost.

Now I think, I wouldn't change any word I've written here, especially the ones disagreed with. Because how else will dialogue begin if there's no disagreement, no uncomfortabity? I used to be so afraid of being out of my comfort zone, of thinking differently, of doubting the norm. And to an extent, I still am. But I welcome the fear, because it makes me feel alive. It makes me remember that nothing is ever what it seems. I have grown so much since the first post I wrote, and there was a time that it terrified me, because I didn't recognize myself. But then I realized that that's the beauty of growth. It's unexpected, and never happens the way you think it should.

I want to grow, better yet, I have a hunger for it. I want to change, develop, learn. Because the more I learn, the more I realize how oppressed we are, by ideas, ignorance, society. 

And the only way to free yourself this is to face it.