Courage: A Junior Narrative Illustration by Taylor Peterson (2012)

My story is about a girl who never could believe in herself or was able to see her own full potential. She had a shadow following her wherever she went, making her think she was destined for failure and causing her to see only the bad in life. It kept her from performing her best at school or in sports. She didn't think she would ever become the person she wanted to be. Or at least the person her parents wanted her to be. It almost pushed her over the edge, until one day. She turned around and she faced her shadows. She fought them off and was able to live the rest of her life at her highest potential. She was finally able to believe in herself. My illustration is of a candle and a shadow alone together in the dark. The candle represents the girl and how she is fighting to keep lit. The shadow represents the negative view of herself, trying to keep the light dim and unseen while the candle is trying hard to become brighter. It desperately wants to shine. The words read, ''To overcome the shadow, And the will to stay alight.'' The point is courage. It shows the struggles the girl had to undergo in order to beat her shadows once and for all and to not let anything else stop her.