The Light Shines in the Darkness, and the Darkness has not Overcome It by Sophie

The Light Shines in the Darkness, and the Darkness has not Overcome It by Sophie - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

Have you ever gone through a trying time in your life, and you cannot figure out why it happened to you? Maybe you lost a loved one, got fired from a job, or got bad news on a medical condition. Well for me, I was bullied and rejected.
From a young age I had a vibrant and colorful imagination. I would create stories, sing and dance, and could make anything from nothing. I was always drawing, crafting, and even making mud pies in my backyard. But once I got to elementary school, something changed. As time went on, people began to look at me differently, with distaste and contempt. They would make fun of my art and the way I spoke, and tell me that I was "weird" and "annoying." I tried to be welcoming and make friends, but nothing seemed to work. Day after day I was excluded, teased, and joked about.
By the time I reached third grade, I was desperate. I would do almost anything people told me to in order to make people like me or be included. I wanted so badly to be wanted by the people around me, to be told that I had worth and value, and that my life meant something to people. So, I decided to try to be a part of the most popular group of girls in my grade. They would let me be with them, but they would almost literally drag me through the mud. Once, I had a close call with an allergic reaction at school because one of the girls made me eat a nut-filled candy bar, which she knew I was extremely allergic to. I was the entertainment of the group.
By the time I reached middle school, my self esteem was at an all time low. I had no friends or community, and I had tried so long and hard to be accepted that I had let go of my spark. I had stopped creating things, stopped discovering new ideas and testing possibilities. I started going to a new school my fifth grade year. I was so petrified on the first day, because one of the bullies from my old school had also moved there with me. But as time went on, I started to realize something. The less I cared about how she thought of me, the more free I felt.
I got back into creating and singing and performing. I joined the school musical and got a lead role, filled sketchbooks, and played piano by ear. My worth stopped depending on other people's opinions, and more on what my true identity said I was. I saw the people who struggled with what I once had, and began to create a community of love, acceptance, and creativity around me.
All people deserve to be loved, and no one should ever be put in the position of questioning their worth and value. Going through what I did helped me understand people struggling with loneliness better. So, what would I say to my younger self? I would look at her big hazel eyes and tell her that no matter what anyone else said, she is valuable and deserving of love. There is a flame in her soul, and no one can take that passion away from her.