My Story: John

I'd like to express my heart when it comes to vulnerability...

A topic that few people address and many run from or do their best to hide behind. Whether it's personal experiences, or childhood traumatic experiences, it's difficult to be vulnerable. One must take that look into a mirror that reflects their life. And it's a stare that reflects back that can be unkind to most. In my past, I've had to overcome abuse, parental divorce, abandonment, low self-esteem, and anger.

It took years of heartache and pain to overcome those internal thoughts; "it must be my fault". So my fight, my battle, my struggle has cost me valuable years of my life. It landed me in prison and had me in a place in my life where my heart was full of apathy. I struggled with depression for years and it took a praying mother and therapeutic counseling from someone who believed that my worst wasn't a reflection of my best for me to get better.

And I haven't looked back since...

My recovery is real and genuine and it’s a lifelong commitment I love every day. So I leave this message of encouragement to those struggling with inner conflict. Don't give up. Change is a process and being vulnerable isn't a bad thing. You can do it...I believe in you!

Now, I'll share a thing about empathy.

A word I believe is seldomly expressed and seldomly seen in one's actions. Empathy is a learned behavior, not something one is born with or passed thru one's bloodline. It takes one's experience in life to understand what it takes to walk in one's shoes. It's beyond putting on someone's shoes or slipping on high heels worn by another, it's taking a walk down the journey of pain and hurt to understand and relate to someone else’s struggle. I’ve experienced facing a lack of empathy and it left a traumatic trail. The steps get harder to remove as I walk further and further along the path of a lack of empathy. I pray as a society we look in the mirror and ensure we lead a life of empathy.