I am a thief.

I used to steal alot of things. I've been on the streets and share no interest in being pitied or looked down on. Simply put, I did a lot of drugs and lost a lot of precious things in my life. I got mad about that so I started stealing to support my habits and survive. At one point stealing turned into a vice. I couldn't go to any store or pharmacy without taking something. I began to see the world through different eyes. I became invisible to cameras and fought back against security guards and in the midst of my own disease I got caught up in this make believe world. The world was a fast cruel place and it wanted to get and gut me so I decided to take it all. I made money off of everything I stole. I rented hotel rooms, hit people in the face and ended up in jail. Its only a miracle I don't have any felonies to date.

I have 7 misdemeanors for petty theft. I've only scraped the surface on what it takes to be a real criminal. I used to hire people as distractions for me so they could go in the store and keep the security guard busy while I robbed them blind. I went through so many bags I lost count of how many I lost at the hands of loss prevention. I haven't stolen anything in 3 months. I am not homeless anymore and I'm in love with a wonderful man.

I did a lot of bad things, hung out with a lot of bad people and I write this now in hopes that someone who is dealing with the same kind of dirt bags I was dealing with reads this and understands what real friendships mean. I want to save someone from the heartache I went through at the mercy of these fools who claimed to be my friends. Its all cool when its going on. They make you feel like you're one of them but you're not and you never will be because you would never use someone that way. You're way better than that. These idiots with piercings, tattoos and reputations are nothing more than cowards with an inflated ego.

I know that right now to most of you the most important thing in your lives seems to be fitting in and running with your own crowd but its not. Even if you don't want to hear this; your parents are right. Those aren't your friends just because they hand you a beer, blunt or whatever it is you do with them of the sort does not make them indispensible to your life. You're better than that. Don't surrender your independence for people who are only gonna put you down and try to use you for their own personal gain. Don't believe the lies.

Don't fall for guys who only want to mess around with you when you're both by yourselves...that's not love. He just wants to get his paws on you and mark you off his list. I don't care if you say that he says the sweetest things and does the sweetest things: WHY THE HELL DOESN'T HE ACT LIKE THAT WHEN EVERYONE ELSE IS AROUND? WHAT'S HE SCARED OF?

I'm barely recovering from running around crazy on the street with these idiots who only wanted to fish for the next high or get something outta me. I almost went to prison trying to get all these people wasted just so I wouldn't be alone on the streets but you know what? Its better to be alone then in bad company is all I have to say. So what if people say you're not cool? Tell em' to kiss it. They don't know you only you know you.

Let me tell you something, the world is full of bad and good people. The good people are harder to find but when you do you'll know because they'll be there no matter what and won't ask you for anything in return for their company or advice. Try to hold on to the good people and dispose of those people whose only mission is to keep you stuck in the same place doing the same things. I believe that everyone is capable of doing extraordinary things with their lives if they just gave themselves a chance and stopped dissecting themselves over what some jackass' judgement might be of them. If you just knew.

I could keep writing about all the bad things that have happened to me in my life but my purpose is not to depress anyone or make anyone feel sorry for me no, my purpose is to tell it like it is even if it hurts. The truth will set you free. I want to inspire people and prevent them from falling into the same trap I did.

Everyone has strength within themselves but to unlock it we must deal with every little thing that makes us feel vulnerable and insecure. You have to come to terms with the fact that you have no super powers and you're not invincible but no one has the power to cut your soul in half unless you let them. You're powerful human beings, you're here on this website writing your heart out hoping someone will hear you and empathize with your situation that in itself is an amazing feat.

Show them you're not like them.

I wrote this for the people who get harassed, for girlfriends whose boyfriends beat them up, for junkies who think they can't quit, for people who know what its like to shower in a public restroom, for people who think they've lost everything and have nothing else to lose, for people who've tried to commit suicide, for the girl who gets called fat 100 times a day, for the guy who wears glasses and get tossed around by the big guys who will only ever be good at tossing balls around, for everyone who ever felt like they weren't good enough because you are...you all are GOOD ENOUGH.

Just writing this it makes me want to cry because for me the storm is almost over and I hope one day it is for you too.

Good luck be strong and don't let them win.