I have fallen short in so many areas of my life. For someone who had so much potential in their youth, my life has become one big belly flop. It's humiliating when people ask me about my personal accomplishments and my responses spotlight my inadequacies and failures. I have no explanation so choose to change the topic, redirecting focus away from myself or make up excuses to avoid the personal encounters altogether. What tears me apart is that my parents feel compelled to cover up or downplay my failures. I bring so much disappointment and shame to them and I am devastated.