I was talking to someone the other day and they commented on the
About Me page for this site. After reading my story, they were really
touched and I got the "OMG! How did you do all of this given your past?" I just smiled and shrugged my shoulders (as I always do)
and said something along the lines of "I'm favored. And I did what I had
to do to make it." (As I always do.)
Then I
got to thinking (pause as I channel my inner Carrie Bradshaw): whenever
someone hears my story or learns something about my life, the question
is always "How?"
How did I make it to an Ivy
League university on a prestigious academic scholarship having been
raised in foster care and coming from an unstable background?
How did I manage to graduate in four years, start my career, and find an apartment?
How did I not crumble under pressure and give up after finding out the I was gonna be someone's momma?
How did I make it out of a toxic relationship?
How did I get through grad school while going through a long, drawn-out breakup safely and sanely, and still be able to smile?
How
am I surviving as a solo single mother and balancing my ever-consuming career, freelance writing gigs and a social life (albeit not so great at times)?
Just... how?
And then I think about it.
I am favored.
And I am blessed with drive and ambition and passion and resilience and grit.
And,
more importantly, I know that I am more. More than just a girl who comes
from an unstable background. More than just a girl who had a total
"oops!" moment when the pregnancy test came back positive. More than
just a girl who was in a physically and financially abusive
relationship. More than just a girl who became a solo single mother.
Point blank: I am more than my circumstances.
And
so are you. I mean, I look at Carla, who went from being a grad school student
to an instructor (and she is also a single mama). And I look at Tara, who's a young mother of two and a total boss! And I look at all of you and your emails and messages.
Point blank: you're awesome. And you are more than your circumstances.
Believe it.
Nicely put girl. You can overcome almost any situation in life
ReplyDeleteGood words!
ReplyDelete#POW
ReplyDeleteYou write in such an uplifting and motivating tone. And all I have to say is AMEN!! We definitely are more than our circumstances.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great post. So true you are more than you past. My father grew up under very harsh conditions when the Communist took over China. Didn't have an education, a father, 4 other younger siblings to take care of and they barely had food on the table. Yet he excelled against the odds and didn't let his troubled past define his future. You are the same, you're not letting your past hold you back because the future has so much to offer!
ReplyDeleteIve decided to write full time and I'm svared to death that it won't work out. But something in me is telling me to keep going. I know it's God telling me, that I can do it and He will help me. I come from generations of drug addicted school dropouts and I was determined to.break that cycle and I did it. I'm gonna keep doing it.
ReplyDeleteJust ran upon your blog and this post has really inspired me.. I'm also a single mom. I am currently pursing my bachelor's in public relations and this reminds me there are no excuses not to accomplish my dreams, against all odds you're a witness that if you set your mind to something you can do it.
ReplyDelete*subscribing*
Mandi
Amen to this. We are so much more than our past experiences. Thank God for that.
ReplyDelete