"I celebrate my victories and embrace my failures as opportunities to learn and grow."- Unknown
I know that I don't talk about my family a lot, but in case you don't know, I have an older sister. We are 12 years apart and she is my bestie. Honestly, she is the only person who I know will always and has always, consistently been in my corner. Anyway, we were talking about teenage girls making dumb decisions that displayed a lack of common sense and self-worth, and she said that she felt obligated to help them. (Gotta love big sister wisdom.)
I started to think about myself and some of the things that I experienced in my life, and how sharing my experiences can be beneficial to keep someone from making the same mistakes. I have struggled, and still struggle with my self-worth and that has allowed me to be in some situations and relationships that were damaging to my mental and spiritual health.
I am beyond the point of feeling embarrassed and ashamed of the things that I have done in the past, and I am at a place of wanting to help a young woman who feels like she has no purpose, who feels like she is less than, who thinks that sex with an older man will make her feel better, and who thinks that being with the 'in crowd' will feel the void. The girl who seriously contemplates becoming anorexic, who thinks that life will never get better, who accepts a man cheating because she's ashamed to publicly admit her insecurities, the girl who tries to please her parents so bad that she lives a life that she hates, and the girl who gives her all to receive nothing in return. I can talk to that girl because I have been that girl. It's my responsibility to let her know that even though she doesn't see it or feel it, there are better days ahead.
I want to encourage you to do the same, because somewhere, someone is waiting on your testimony, and it's your responsibility to share it.