We have done surprisingly well, you and I. The odds were against us, but much of the disfunction and craziness we lived with served to make us stronger and better, instead of confused, passive, and bitter. It all seemed normal to us back then. We were exposed to Narcissism, alcoholism, depression, mania, codependency, anxiety, brutality, as well as other negative emotions and behaviors throughout our childhood, never questioning whether or not these were normal experiences.
We each have memories that probably differ as much from reality as from each others. They shape us and give us a framework from which we view and interact with the world. Love, trust, bonding, helping….who and what we value and pray for…..how we live and give and serve. We are kind and generous people. Somewhere along the rocky road of life we learned to care for others. We are compassionate, spiritual, humorous, honest, and wise.
We have weathered storms of such magnitude, no one including ourselves thought we were able to survive them. We have been knocked down and around, but continue to Rise up each time and find strength for another day. We still have Hope. There are times when each of us would like to quit, but we don’t …
We are not the little children in so many of the photos I looked at yesterday….they lived in a fairytale world that eventually shattered. But there was (and is)an inner strength that is capable of slaying any of the giants that try to steal who we have become. We are conquerers…..
