05/07/2024
321 Jefferson St 🏠
If this message only encourages one person. One single person… one young lady trying to find her way. One adult trying to get out of a bad situation.
It’s no secret to anyone that growing up with three drug addicted parents me to be overly independent to prevent from being a victim. I’m not ashamed of my story nor am I bashful when I tell it.
Having my own apartment at 16 because my parents no longer had a safe place for me to live is just a testament of the independence that I needed so much from years of being unable to control the horrible things that happened to me.
Today, I regularly mentor myself and others that whatever situation is going on, is not happening to you. It may be happening, but it doesn’t mean it’s happening to you. Because as an adult, we have much more control. But as a victim, we are allowing ourselves to believe that something that barely has anything to do with us is happening to us.
This house, this road… It built me. It truly built me. It was where I found true love, where my baby brother was brought home from the hospital and showed me exactly what true love felt like. This road holds so many memories of times past, of people that I no longer have in my life, whether it be death or dead to me. There are so many wonderful memories of me and my older brother and my cousin with our friends, enjoying all the nooks and crannies that this neighborhood had to offer. See, when the interior of your house is scarier than what’s outside… You spend a lot of time creating safe places outside. I can take you down alleyways and overgrown passageways that we used to build forts and stay hidden for theentire summer. I can show you the back ways to get into downtown buildings that we would sneak around inside of to keep warm. The library that had a water fountain and a librarian that never tired of telling us to shush as she could see, our story was all over our faces.
Returning to my childhood home as a successful Mother, Sister, Businesswoman, Aunt, Entrepreneur, and Contributing Member of Society is very humbling and also very powerful. My brother had the opportunity to go inside several years ago. I cannot say that I would go inside given the opportunity. On so many levels, I do not live here anymore. Nothing about me or my journey has been perfect. I carry my own flaws and am accountable for my actions.
Just because the story started out hard does not mean it has to end that way. You have the power to take control of situations and be an author of your story rather than just someone reading it. I encourage you and empower you to be your own author! To get the degree! To submit the résumé! To ask for the promotion! You deserve it! No matter what lies are built against you, The Truth will empower you.
Be Great. Be Empowered. 🩵
