I am not.

I am not a fan of the color yellow, even though it makes me smile, because it was Gram's favorite color and it makes me think of her.

I am not unable to make decisions. I am unable to make "unimportant" decisions. Like where to eat. What movie to watch. Which pair of shoes to buy. Put a big decision in front of me, though, and I know exactly what I need to do.

I am not a pushover just because I am quiet.

I am not able to tolerate people who laugh at me condescendingly. Don't get me wrong. I can and do laugh at myself. Often. And I invite you to join the chuckle. But if your laugh implies you are somehow putting me down? I'm moving on. Because mean isn't funny.

I am not going to shop at Walmart again, if I can help it. I loathe that store for so many reasons.

I am not "just a receptionist." If I were, I would just be answering phones and directing traffic. I wish that was the scope of my responsibilities every time I hear someone call me "just the receptionist."

I am not going to root for "the local team." No matter how long I live here.My body changed location, my loyalty did not.

I am not above the silent treatment. Chalk it up as me practicing the adage "If you don't have anything nice to say..."

I am not ever going to stop believing in Santa Claus, watching Charlie Brown holiday specials or getting excited over going to a Disney Park. My inner child is alive and well. It's one piece of the secret to my happiness.

I am not perfect. But every day, I try harder to be a better person than I was yesterday.

I am not the sad stories from my past, but the sum of each passing phase of my life, composed of the minutes filled with the sunshine and blessings of laughter and love. These, which far outweigh the storm clouds and fill the once shadowed spaces with light, are what define me. A faint scar is not who I am, but what I have overcome.