Hey. :) My name is Ashley. I am 18 years old. I have been writing poetry for a few years now. In the beginning it was sooo easy to write, but as the years have gone by its more difficult. When I first started writing it was because I was in pain. Having lost my dad at a young age and experiencing things that no one should ever have to experience. There are people out there that have it worse than I do, so I'm not complaining. As I'm older now, you can say that I've "grown up" some. I've learned to let go of the hardest things. I'm not longer "depressed", or "suicidal". I put it in qoutations because people define it differently. Most people who cut don't do it because they want to end their life. They just want to end their pain. And that's what I used to do. But my pain got so intense, and I actually wanted to cut deeper and try and kill myself. Thankfully death didn't play its role and kill me. Because of all the pain and whatever I went through, it has molded me into the person I am today. Sure, I get sad, but who doesn't? I no longer cut myself. Been freed from the razor. Finally. I am at the happiest time in my life. I don't know why it took so long to get happy, but its okay. I am graduating this year. :) and I am loved by the greatest person ever. He sees through the mistakes I've made, and accepts me for who I am. He understands the most part of me. He's read some of the things that I've wrote, and I don't know his opinion about them, nor do I want to know. I'm going to try and start writing "happy" poems. Its more difficult for me to write now than it was because I get so caught up in life and how wonderful it is. I've never really wrote something decent and it be "happy". But I'm willing to try. It may not be great, but it doesn't matter. People can critisize me on what I do, but it won't bring me down. I am stronger. Stronger than I've ever been. I'm not going to delete my old poetry because it is a reminder of another life that I don't ever want to turn back to. If you have taken the time to read all of what I wrote, this is for you: "thank you. You are truly something else. :)" if you have any questions, or want advice, or just need someone to talk to, feel free to email me at [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected] please make the subject "RE:RAINING TEARS" it is well appreciated. :) (it helps me sort out all of my mail. :) -thank you. :) -Ashley. :)