It has been 12 years since I first came across Ugly Betty. I watched the show’s original version when I was younger but the US version was the one my heart clung to and as cheesy as it may sound, got me through some of my own life’s highs and lows.

As a sheltered and introverted child,  all I had were my books, my writing, and yes, my TV shows. I went through all four seasons in less than a month and I have come to realize so many things. For one thing, even after 12 years, Betty and I are still so much alike but the most important revelation of all is my understanding of how Betty’s story turned out.

As most of the show’s fans would know, Betty technically did not end up with any Prince Charming but she ended up with a career she wanted in a new country all by herself and it made me appreciate a show that was definitely ahead of its time even before it was trendy.

There’s really no big aha moment that I will write about about this other than gratitude for the past 12 years, nothing like a good show that I treated like my best friend to remind me of my own growth in the past 12 years.

I remember being extremely optimistic about my future and it reminded me of how scared I was at the prospect of the future I imagined to not turn out the way I expected it to and here I am, nearly 31, with a present that is unlike what  20 year old me envisioned but it is better than I expected in so many ways. It is better than I expected because while it is true that life is unlike what we expect it to be but every day, we have a choice to make the best out of it.

It is facing what life hands us instead of running away from it that we create our own strength. Nostalgia hits every time I see those braces but it also makes me feel, well just a tad bit proud of both Betty and I and where our journey has taken us.

Love you Betty, you will always have my heart.