It’s so hard for me see someone choose to go down a hard path in life and then blame it on how they were raised
I am the oldest of five. I grew up extremly poor. So poor to the point of having to boil hot water on the stove so we could take a bath. The little money we did have, it was wasted on an addiction my parents had, and because of that addiction we suffered. We hurt, we got hurt, and hurting became a routine in life. The physical pain was always better than the mental pain, but all together…it hurt. I became a mother at a very young age to the children my mother chose to have. And the hurt continued throughout my teenage life up into my 20’s. After escaping the pain my childhood dealt me, Cancer found it’s way into my life ruining my 21st birthday. I lost everything I had, from my childhood innocence to the hair on my head that chemo took away.
My life has been hard, but I remember telling myself so many times that I wanted a better life in the future. I always hoped and prayed things would get better. Sometimes it’s hard to remember any good times because of all of the bad. But as I got older I decided I would not use my upbringing as a crutch but as a encouragement to push forward to and to be better.
So many times, I hear people say, “I’m damaged” or “I can’t help the way I was raised.” And it makes me want to hit them up side the head and say, “Do you want to be damaged for the rest of your life?” or “Are you going to blame your childhood for every decisions you are making now?” Every person who has been through a situation like mine has thought to themself at one time or another, “ I want a better life.” Well if you want it, then get your butt up and get it.
Yes. You may be damaged and broken and hurt, but that’s what makes your story even better. You might have had to work harder and sacrifice more but in the end it is worth it. Everyone likes to root for the underdog. If you lay there defeated before you even try, then you are just another statistic and the stereotype people already thought you would be. If you want better…than go get it. Stop blaming others for the way your life has turned out. DO something about it.
I’m now 25, I beat Cancer, I have 3 college degrees, ( the first to graduate from college out of my family), and a great job. I don’t have kids yet and I’m not married, but only because I’m waiting, and I want to be able to give my children everything I never had as a child. And by that I mean ….Happiness.
I chose to do better….and so can you!
