worthmore

By what measure do you quantify your existence?

There is nothing that makes anyone worth more, or less than anyone else. Nothing defines a person’s value—not age, height, shape, orientation, ethnicity, income, or any other factor.

Yet, a commonly used word implies otherwise. The word ‘worthless’ suggests humans can depreciate, but we do not have diminishing properties.

I was bullied as a kid, and I didn’t understand why. I thought I needed to change who I was to be accepted. I let others influence my sense of worth with their unkind words and actions. It took a long time for me to become confident and self-accepting.

Thankfully, the world is changing. I see people who once threw harsh words my way wearing pink shirts and teaching their kids not to bully. We are raising a kinder generation who have more emotional intelligence and empathy for others, and that’s a good thing.

I see parents bolstering their children— not for their accomplishments, but simply for existing. I’m sure parents of my generation were still brimming with pride inside, but those kinds of things weren’t shouted from rooftops. Even as an adult I like it when mine tell me they think I'm amazing. I came from two amazing people, so I believe them.

I want to be a part of a world that can change. I strive to understand and advocate for people who have endured struggles I am privileged not to have experienced. I want to be an ally for those who have been marginalized, or subjected to hate. Everyone deserves to be equal— because we are—even if there are still people who don't want us to be.

I’d like to hear words like worthful more often. It is an actual word, and the fact it looks, or sounds strange, and worthless doesn’t, means there’s work to do. I want everyone to feel worthmore.

We are all worthy, just as we are.