Love Yourself Poem by Danzel Ong

I have spent my whole life,
Fighting a war with myself,
That I have forgotten,
What is it that I'm fighting for?
Is it their approval?
The desire to fit in with them?
How long was that?
When my eyes were full of wonder,
and my head full of dreams?
We used to be side by side,
Fighting against the world,
Until they told me to look the other way,
All these time,
I have lost myself searching for,
An answer that was all the while within me,
I am exactly the way I am,
Hating myself is to deny the universe's,
creation of me,
No more running and fighting,
I have finally forgiven and accepted myself,
It took me a lifetime to love myself,
But it doesn't matter,
It's alright now,
I finally understand mother,
I just wish you were here with me.