Melissa

Time and again, I've found that sharing creates a connection, a reminder that none of us walk this path alone. I've chosen to live with an open heart, welcoming the messiness of life, and finding grace and peace within it. My pain will always be a part of me, etched into who I am, but it no longer holds me captive.

Instead, it has shaped me into someone stronger, someone free, someone who can rise from the ashes and be an example and encouragement for others to do the same.

Instead, it has shaped me into someone stronger, someone free, someone who can rise from the ashes and be an example and encouragement for others to do the same.

Instead, it has shaped me into someone stronger, someone free, someone who can rise from the ashes and be an example and encouragement for others to do the same.

I was listening to the podcast while I was sitting in the waiting room. of the passport office. And I had about 45 minutes. And I heard right at the beginning of the podcast that you guys were doing this essay submission. And I was like, you know what? I've got time. I'm going to do it now. And I just sat there and I just started thinking about

I was listening to the podcast while I was sitting in the waiting room. of the passport office. And I had about 45 minutes. And I heard right at the beginning of the podcast that you guys were doing this essay submission. And I was like, you know what? I've got time. I'm going to do it now. And I just sat there and I just started thinking about

I was listening to the podcast while I was sitting in the waiting room. of the passport office. And I had about 45 minutes. And I heard right at the beginning of the podcast that you guys were doing this essay submission. And I was like, you know what? I've got time. I'm going to do it now. And I just sat there and I just started thinking about

my pain and thinking about how it's affected me in good ways and bad. And I just started writing in my notes on my phone and just kept rereading it and editing it, rereading it and editing it. Honestly, I wanted it to be more about the healing than the pain. Because I spent so much of my life focusing so much on what the trauma was.

my pain and thinking about how it's affected me in good ways and bad. And I just started writing in my notes on my phone and just kept rereading it and editing it, rereading it and editing it. Honestly, I wanted it to be more about the healing than the pain. Because I spent so much of my life focusing so much on what the trauma was.

my pain and thinking about how it's affected me in good ways and bad. And I just started writing in my notes on my phone and just kept rereading it and editing it, rereading it and editing it. Honestly, I wanted it to be more about the healing than the pain. Because I spent so much of my life focusing so much on what the trauma was.

And I always thought, you know, there's going to be a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm going to look back in 20 years and I'm going to see how much good this did in my life. And honestly, that's not the case. More often than not, the trauma that I went through was just all encompassing and the pain was debilitating a lot of times. That's definitely like the inner voice, right?

And I always thought, you know, there's going to be a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm going to look back in 20 years and I'm going to see how much good this did in my life. And honestly, that's not the case. More often than not, the trauma that I went through was just all encompassing and the pain was debilitating a lot of times. That's definitely like the inner voice, right?

And I always thought, you know, there's going to be a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm going to look back in 20 years and I'm going to see how much good this did in my life. And honestly, that's not the case. More often than not, the trauma that I went through was just all encompassing and the pain was debilitating a lot of times. That's definitely like the inner voice, right?

Like every time I share it, I'm like, do I really need to share this? Does somebody really want to hear this? It really can mess with what you think about yourself. And so I really wanted that to be what this essay was about. It's really not about coming out on the other side and like, oh, the trauma's gone and we're all good and everything's fine.

Like every time I share it, I'm like, do I really need to share this? Does somebody really want to hear this? It really can mess with what you think about yourself. And so I really wanted that to be what this essay was about. It's really not about coming out on the other side and like, oh, the trauma's gone and we're all good and everything's fine.

Like every time I share it, I'm like, do I really need to share this? Does somebody really want to hear this? It really can mess with what you think about yourself. And so I really wanted that to be what this essay was about. It's really not about coming out on the other side and like, oh, the trauma's gone and we're all good and everything's fine.

I mean, I'm sure you guys hear it a lot from people emailing you in like, wow, this story was incredible and this was so helpful for me. But there's so many people that are not writing in that are feeling the same thing. So as I was sitting and writing it, it was very important to me that I focus on the aspect of using this trauma for good.

I mean, I'm sure you guys hear it a lot from people emailing you in like, wow, this story was incredible and this was so helpful for me. But there's so many people that are not writing in that are feeling the same thing. So as I was sitting and writing it, it was very important to me that I focus on the aspect of using this trauma for good.

I mean, I'm sure you guys hear it a lot from people emailing you in like, wow, this story was incredible and this was so helpful for me. But there's so many people that are not writing in that are feeling the same thing. So as I was sitting and writing it, it was very important to me that I focus on the aspect of using this trauma for good.

And yeah, when you do share it with other people, it really does create this amazing connection. I feel like as humans, if we did a lot more of this sharing, that it would heal a lot of very broken people.