I Am

I am the braces on a toddler.
The constant reminder
that this four year old
is unable to run with
the other kids.

I am the scars
on a young girl's legs.
A permanent imperfection
that can never be erased.
Every time she slips on
a pair of shorts
she thinks of me
and worries about
rejection.

I am a pair of Canadian crutches.
Supporting, listening and understanding
the trials and tribulations of
a teenager's confused emotional state.

I am the teal Quickie
that gives the girl freedom
she has always dreamed of,
"You don't have to run,"
I tell her.
"With me, you can fly!"