"And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or hear."

I got an email from my best friend, Alexandria Schanke, tonight. It simply said, ”This quote reminds me of you.”

I’m been through my share of shit… I’ve made my mistakes.  I’ve done some stupid things, made some dumb choices.  I’ve ventured down a wrong road or two… thinking it was the right way.  I’ve gotten lost.  Hell… I’ve even ventured down the wrong road knowing it was wrong.  I’ve lost friends and I’ve lost family.  I’ve said things I didn’t mean.  I’ve broken hearts.  I’ve loved.  I’ve held on when I knew it was unavailing.  I’ve lied.  I’ve been hurt.  I’ve cared too much.  I’ve left out of fear.  I’ve acted before I’ve thought.  I’ve been cheated.  I’ve forgotten.

And the truth is… I am going to make more mistakes.  I will do more stupid things.  I will choose the wrong paths.  I will get lost again, more than once.  There will be another time when my actions advance my thoughts.  I will grieve.  I will probably say another thing that I do not mean.  I will get hurt.  But the difference is that this time around… I will remember.

Because it is in spite of all that I have done, that I have the potential to be all that I can.  Without mistakes, I wouldn’t be able to problem solve or call myself independent.  Without pain or grief, I would know not of what strength is.  If everything turned out as I, at one point, hoped it would, my enthusiasm and dedication would not exist.  If everyone was perfect; if I had never gotten lost; if I had never loved; if I had never made a bad choice; I would not have the willpower to be anyone but the person I was to start.

If nothing had ever happened to me that I at one time saw as horrible, painful, or unfair, I certainly would not be where I am right now.  But those things did happen.  And those thing will continue to happen.  It is those exact experiences that have turned me into who I am today, and it is those future happenings that will shape me into the woman I will ultimately be.

For all those things I perceived as awful, difficult, traumatic, or regrettable: I thank everyone. I am me. It was all of those hard times that made me.  I have nowhere to go but up, even if there are slight slopes along the way  In the end I will still be me, only better (or better yet, the best I can be).