I don’t wish childhood hardship on anyone. If I could take every painful moment, every confusing season, every tear-filled night and toss it into the wind, I would. But the truth is, those moments shaped me. They carved out my heart, stretched my patience, tested my faith, and somehow—out of the mess—they helped mold me into the person I am today.
Because of what I went through growing up, I learned how to feel. Really feel. I learned how to listen without judging, how to understand without needing every detail, and how to care in a way that comes from lived experience. When someone sits across from me and shares something heavy, I don’t flinch. I don’t point fingers. I don’t act shocked. More often than not, I’ve either been through something similar or I know someone who has. Life teaches you things school never will.
One of the biggest lessons I hold close is this: everybody is human. Everyone is fighting something you can’t see. Life doesn’t care how good you are, how hard you work, or how pure your intentions are—sometimes it still kicks you in the butt. Sometimes it knocks the wind out of you. And sometimes it feels like everything you’re doing is still not enough.
But that’s where grace steps in.
I’ve learned there’s no point in being ugly or rude or judgmental. The world already has enough of that. If I can be the person who makes someone feel safe, heard, understood, or even just a little lighter for five minutes—that’s the kind of person I want to be. My past didn’t harden me; it softened me. It made me someone people can talk to without fear.
And the biggest truth I know?
God has a plan. Even when everything feels like it’s falling apart. Even when you’re tired, confused, or convinced you’re at a dead end. Looking back, the moments I thought were breaking me were actually building me. He was guiding me, shaping me, strengthening me—even when I couldn’t see it.
I wouldn’t wish my childhood on anyone. But I am grateful for the understanding, compassion, and strength it gave me. It made me more than a survivor—it made me someone who can reach back and help others survive too.
And if you’re going through something right now, just remember:
You’re not alone.
You’re not broken.
And you’re not forgotten.
God still has a plan for you, even in the chaos.
