"The Day I Met My Younger Self and Finally Learned to Love Me"

It changed into a Tuesday while Ava first noticed the female withinside the purple raincoat. The sky changed into smeared with gray, the sort that presses to your chest like a weight. Ava changed into on her ordinary stroll to the nook store, arms buried deep in her coat pockets, earbuds in, drowning in every other podcast approximately solving yourself—your diet, your finances, your damaged mind. She hated them, however she couldn`t prevent listening. Each one promised her a model of herself she should sooner or later like. And then, there she changed into. Across the street. A small female, no greater than seven or eight, status withinside the drizzle, purple raincoat zipped as much as her chin, searching instantly at Ava. Ava paused. Something approximately the child`s eyes unsettled her. Not fear, now no longer sadness—only a deep, unblinking familiarity. The female raised her hand in a small wave. Then she became and walked away. Ava shook it off. Probably only a community kid. But that night, she dreamt of her. In the dream, the little female sat at the kitchen ground of Ava`s adolescence home, drawing rainbows with damaged crayons. She seemed up and said, “Why did you prevent loving me?” Ava awakened crying. The female regarded once more every week later. Same raincoat, equal stare. This time withinside the park, on a bench wherein Ava used to take a seat down together along with her mother. Again, she waved, became, and left. The goals grew greater vivid. In one, the female stood earlier than a mirror, attempting on lipstick together along with her tiny fingers. She seemed up at Ava and whispered, “I concept I changed into enough.” And every morning, Ava rose with a sense she couldn`t name. A guilt that wasn`t guilt. A sorrow that had no name. It took every other weeks earlier than Ava accompanied her. It changed into impulsive. The female had regarded once more—this time out of doors the bookstall Ava prevented as it reminded her of the way she used to write. The female stared at her, then became and walked down the alley in the back of the building. Ava didn`t think. She simply moved. Down the alley, round a nook, and into an empty lot full of weeds and wildflowers. The female stood withinside the center. “Who are you?” Ava asked, breathless. The female didn`t smile. “I`m who you used to be.” Ava blinked. “That`s now no longer possible.” “You used to bop withinside the residing room while no person changed into watching. You sang adore it mattered. You cherished your bizarre laugh, your crooked teeth. You concept your phrases should extrade the world.” Ava`s throat tightened.You have promised me that you will not stop believing in me." "I'm tired," Ava said quietly. "Life...I didn't think of life as I wanted." The girl approached. "But I didn't go anywhere. I waited, for separation, for rejection, for work they disliked. They avoided all the mirrors. I was waiting. " Ava fell to his knee. Loving yourself isn't about repairing something that's broken. It is to allow the part they buried. That's what they believe is still important. Even if the world says that's not the case. " Ava looked into these little things and knew the eyes - and finally she saw herself. But who was she? The next morning, Ava was in front of the mirror. She didn't suck her stomach. She didn't fix her hair. She just stood there and looked at herself. And for the first time in years she whispered: "I missed you." She didn't expect to feel different anytime soon. But she did it.