"Naive"

Reinalaine's staring at her reflection P.O.V- 

The mirror reflected a stranger. And you, Reinalaine, felt the weight of expectations. Because you were good in school, everyone knows that. You are Reinalaine Bernardino, the girl who always aced her exams, the one who never faltered or failed. But was there more to who you were than the grades? The accolades? The labels?

An inner voice whispered, "Something's not

L

right," a small crack in the impeccably constructed facade of your life. Constantly resounding as a low vibration between who you are and how everyone else expected you to be, it left you yearning to break away from the mold, to shed the skin of expectations and into the unknown.

Life's roller coaster, with its joys thrilling

and its griefs devastating, had reflected the turmoil that to my mind you were experiencing. Here, too, when you so triumphantly won the victory in the national spelling bee-the triumph of years of hard toil-it seemed to lift you above the clouds. And the night you flunked a mathematics test for the first time, an altogether inconsequential episode in itself, seemed a plummeting dive into the very jaws of hell. You wanted to please your parents, make good on all the hopes and

dreams that lay before you and be the perfect daughter. And you prayed for perfection-but those empty caverns remained, a lingering ache in the depths of your being.

Maybe it is not about the top but about the ride, and perhaps the roller-coaster thing is to embrace the ups and downs, twists and turns, and complete disorientation moments. It is finding your voice and embracing imperfections, learning to trust the ride when you feel gripped by fear.

The scariest drops, moments of questioning everything, are scary, but sometimes right after them you experience the most breathtaking views. They lead you on to many new experiences, some unsuspected discoveries, and an even greater understanding of yourself.

The world expects you to be perfect, Reinalaine, but perfection is a mirage. It's the shimmer in the distance. It is never something to be touched or felt. You are more than just grades and achievements and expectations that weigh upon you. You are a human full of emotions, experiences, and aspirations. Live the journey, Reinalaine. Find your own path. And let the roller coaster take you somewhere you've never wanted to be.

You

may be perceived by the world as achieving student. That's only the tip of the iceberg because you are so much more. You are a young woman filled with dreams in a heart and brimming with curiosity in a mind and soul that yearns for authenticity. Let go of the need to be perfect and let that imperfection shine as well. Let yourself grow and let the roller coaster that is life take its course and ride you into an adventurous journey through self-discovery.

References 

http://www.blogger.com

https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2018/08/16/this-is-your-brain-on-roller-coasters/