Safe

"Tell them my story. Maybe it helps them live theirs a little bit longer."
~Ashlyn Harris

This is why I bring it up.
This is why I talk about it.
Depression, self injury, suicide, bullying.
Sexuality, gender identity, gender expression, religion.

You can't know what you didn't give someone permission to tell you.
I endeavor to be honest so you can too.

Hey, I'm broken.
I've got things that haunt me.
I've made mistakes.
I don't want to be alone.
I'm doing the best I can and sometimes I feel like its not good enough.

That lets people know they're in a safe place to tell the truth when I say

"How are you?"