A new year, a new you,
a new beginning to an old end,
where hope lies strong and prominent in your eyes,
desperate for that feeling of power,
the power you feel after overcoming a fear, an adversity.
You go into 2026 yearning for that feeling,
grasping on to it like a young child’s favorite stuffed animal.
The future never seemed brighter,
the days ahead never looked more promising.
But sometimes life knocks you down just when you think things aren’t black and white,
even though the songs only just started now,
you find out your family’s being torn in half
that your entire life is going to change,
your parents trying to convince you things will get better when they don’t even believe themselves.
And suddenly, your bright 2026 has a shadow casted over it,
the days ahead unpromising,
your bright blue eyes now replaced with a dark and empty dread.
You lie awake at night in a home that suddenly doesn’t feel like yours,
your parents no longer sleeping in the same room,
what used to be lively family dinners now quiet with reluctant acceptance,
the fear for how your 11 year old brother will go on greater than the desire for your own smile to return,
your image of love destroyed by the one thing you thought would happen to anyone but you.
But you’ll keep your head up and try to smile,
you’ll realize someday that maybe time is worth the while.
You’ll get back up again and again,
after every tough conversation that makes tears prick your eyes,
after each poorly hidden sob behind your little brothers door that breaks you more than him,
after every attempt to run to a friend’s house to get away from your own.
There’s no denying 2026 will be difficult even if it’s only been a few days,
even if you already had to wave goodbye to the end of a beginning,
one day this year you’ll be able to look in the mirror and understand why your grandpa calls you resilient and strong,
and when the day comes, you’ll smile,
and you’ll finally realize what people meant when they said “Just trust me, you’ll be fine”
Written by Katie Grispino
Katie Grispino is a freshman at BBHHS. She enjoys playing trumpet in the school and marching band. Along with playing the trumpet, she spends time listening to music by bands like The Neighborhood and Led Zeppelin. She also participates in the school’s Mock Trial team as an attorney, and plans to explore family law as a potential career for the future. Her favorite pieces to write are poetry and short stories that deal with difficult topics she herself has been through, like body dysmorphia, mental health, and difficult family situations. She loved her creative writing class and intends to continue writing.
