I had a busy yet encouraging day today and it made me realize some things that I wanted to share with you and remind myself. So, if you would, hang in here with me for a few minutes and hopefully this will be encouraging to you. (It’s a bit long… read it when you have time!)
This evening, I had the chance to talk with a recovering drug addict and hear their story. She grew up in a loving house with the best mother anyone could have. At the age of 4, her father left and her mother turned to drinking, men, and drugs. A few years later, because of her mother’s addictions, they lost their house, lived on the streets, in and out of hotels, and finally found an abandoned building. I believe she was 10 years old at this point. She finally had the courage to go to a neighbor on the street and tell her the situation. Dyphus got involved and took her away from her mother and the situation. She hasn’t seen her mom since.
While in her foster home, she was physical, mentally, and sexually abused. The foster parents were also into drugs and drinking. She had to get a job at 14 to pay for anything that she needed: school supplies, clothes, food…ect . She started experimenting with drugs and drinking at 15 and 16. At 17, she was kicked out of the house and on the streets. From there her drug usage increased along with her drinking. She had to become a prostitute for money and to have a place to stay. She turned to guys and women.
Then, one day, a woman came up to her while she was on the street, handed her a water bottle and tried to talk. At first this girl wanted nothing to do with this woman but as she turned to walk away, the woman grabbed her hand and said, “I’ve been where you are.”
This stopped the girl in her tracks and she turned around. This woman quickly told her the story of her life. She was a teacher and a coach - she and her husband ran in to some trouble and they both turned to drugs to numb the pain - eventually they lost their house – and they were thrown in jail for money embezzlement and their drug usage. But, this lady turned her life around and her purpose now is to help these girls do the same.
She was not alone. Pilots, my heart hopes that you know that you are not alone. I’m just going to say it, LIFE SUCKS! It’s hard, it’s messy, and things go wrong. Some of us may not come from backgrounds like the girl I met tonight, I don’t, but that doesn’t mean that life isn’t hard. We all struggle with things. I struggle with things. Body image, school, relationships, family, friends, self harm, depression, anxiety, loneliness… and so many more things are a part of our live. They hurt us and tear us apart from the inside out. And this pain makes us think that we are alone in our battles… that there is no hope. But, Pilots, please believe that there is always hope and you are not alone. You matter in this world. We are not here by accident. Each of us were created with our own purpose… and that purpose is important. Push through your pain… no matter how painful it is… to find this purpose. Even if it’s letting others know that they are not alone. Even if it’s surviving another day and living. Even if it’s something as simple as handing water bottle to a person on the street on a hot day. Each of us have a purpose.
It makes me sad to know that others hurt just as much as I do, and even more than I do. It tears me apart knowing that some of my friends cut away at their bodies each night… that some starve themselves… that others throw themselves at guys... that they come from broken families with parents who fight or are separated… and so many other situations. But you are not alone. And pilots, I care about. This blog post is a reminder to you, and myself, that no matter the hopelessness of a situation, you are not alone and you are loved and your lives matter.
You are not alone.
keep writing down your stories and sending them in. This site is used as a reminder...and encouragement... to you that you are not alone! Tyler and Josh and their music has reminded me over and over of that.
Please push through the darkness and find your purpose and know that there is help, know that you are not alone, and know that you are loved.
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Stay Alive! Fight through the darkness! Be Encouraged! |-/
-m