text: I never thought I could change the world; never thought I could even impact it. And I mean can you really blame me? Blame me for having dreams so big, that I figured they would never come true? This world is filled with billions of people, and I am just one of them, how could I make a difference? If you looked in a sky of billions upon billions of fireflies, and one of them was different, one of them glowed brighter, acted differently. Would you notice? Notice that single Firefly? You wouldn’t, and that’s ok, I wouldn’t either. After all, there are billions of others, how could you notice just one. How could anyone notice just me? In a world of billions. Yet here I stand. --------------------- I grew up as normal, as any child next to me. I did not have a lot of money or social media stans. I was just a kid with both feet planted firmly on the ground, trying to make my way in the world. I was not popular in school, and I was not even a part of any big sports teams or events. I wasn't special to the outside world, I went unnoticed. For I wasn't anything more than me. And little did I know that simply being myself, was the best thing I could possibly be. Just me. And at the time, I was only focused on just trying to get through my life in the best way I could. I knew I got to play a role in my fate, I knew I got to make decisions that would make a difference to me. I never thought I could make a difference to others. But we can always make a difference to others, remember that, and you will move more than mountains. Here I stand. --------------------- I was quiet until I decided one day I did not need to be. I had so many words inside of me, bundled up under what everyone called bossiness and emotional. I had strong opinions, screaming inside of me to be let out. And so I stopped hiding in the background, and I started making my voice be heard. I started in the smallest ways, speaking up in conversations, speaking out against things I disagreed with. One day, one of my teachers asked me to share my viewpoint on humankind as a society in a paragraph. It was part of a school assignment no different than any other. But when I sat down to write it, I realized I had so much to say. So much more than a paragraph. So much more. And so, a week after I handed the assignment in, my teacher took me aside and asked me to present it in front of the class. I was terrified, how could I not be? I almost flat out told them no, I was so close to telling them I could not do it. But something, something inside me, told me I needed to stop hiding. I had been silent long enough. And here I stand. ---------------------- My hands had been shaking and my voice even more so. A couple of my classmates were snickering, and I almost stopped, almost gave up, but I didn’t. Instead, I cleared my throat, I wanted to be heard as everyone does, and for the first, I had a chance. And that is where it all began. Because everything has to begin somewhere. The time, where I was no longer silent. I would never be silent again. So here I stand. -------------------- And by simply deciding I was done staying silent, I realized how I was given a voice for a reason, and I would be dammed if I was not going to use it. I started speaking up at school events and then began my journey in public speaking. And every time Someone asked me what my opinion is. I would laugh and then I would tell them. Hard and true, exactly what I believed, nothing less. Taking that part of myself I had shut out for so long, and instead, bringing it high in my chest, not like a weight, but like a purpose. I was still one in billions, but somehow, I was managing to impact a couple of people, and that is all it takes. Here I stand. ------------------ You see none of us would notice one different firefly in billions. However, if the fireflies next to that one firefly noticed; they might change too. And then other fireflies might see those, and change as well. And suddenly everything would be different, because of one. And that you would notice, we all would. And here I stand. ------------------- Here I stand, I can hear the crowd out there. Shouting loud, there many unique voices. All those people ready to simply hear mine. And I know if you want to change the world, you go on and change it. Nothing is stopping you, but yourself. You have been given a voice for a reason. We were not meant to be quiet creatures. We were meant to shout at the top of our lungs what needs to be heard. Pour everything out of our souls, and maybe impact those who need to hear what we have to say. And trust me when I tell you, someone out there needs to hear what you have to say. And if your afraid that is ok. I am too. But remember, here you stand. ------------------- Clear your throat, take a deep breath, bear your fists, lift your head and speak. And never stay silent for anyone, never again. Instead speak for you, and for all those who have been silent for far too long. And so, I smile, my heart pounding in my chest, and I walk out onto that stage in front of thousands. Spotlights filling my vision as I make my way to the microphone and look over the crowd in front of me. Look to the world, just waiting to be changed. And I cleared my throat.