Young Writers Project is a creative, online community of teen writers and visual artists that started in Burlington in 2006. Each week, VTDigger publishes the writing and art of young Vermonters who post their work on youngwritersproject.org, a free, interactive website for youth, ages 13-19. To find out more, please go to youngwritersproject.org or contact Executive Director Susan Reid at sreid@youngwritersproject.org; (802) 324-9538.
Those who love life
Campbell Clarke, 16, Colchester
Life is
meant to be lived
fully and completely.
You need to commit.
Fully.
You aren’t meant to dip one toe in from the edge.
You’re meant to dive in
with no hesitation,
no “what ifs.”
The people who do that
are the ones who make every day
thrilling.
Who care so much
and with their whole heart,
care about life and those who live it,
that they are willing to
risk that whole heart
to make yours a little lighter.
These are the people you can count on
to send you a hug
wrapped up in little glitters of their love
anytime you need it.
You might not even notice
when they lift the weight,
but the next time you turn inward to confront it,
it will be missing.
These are the people
who together
find a way to share their immense love for the world
with everyone.
Editor’s Note: “Those Who Love Life” is the November 2025 award winner for The Tomorrow Project, YWP’s civic engagement initiative. More information, and upcoming challenges, can be found at the Young Writers Project website.
