I tried to heal the wound, but I couldn't.
Helpful people said things like:
Just get over it.
Make a new start.
Try not to think about it.
I tried to do what they said, but the pain in my heart kept capturing my attention.
I was afraid I would hurt forever.
Things didn't get better until I decided to STOP.
Stop trying to control the situation.
Stop trying to read the future.
Stop trying to earn love and respect.
I gave myself permission to REST and think about the value of my worth. Yes, something awful happened, but it doesn't determine WHO I am.
There's a great quote in the movie, "Kung Fu Panda 2":
Your story may not have a happy beginning, but that doesn't make you who you are. It is the rest of your story...who you choose to be.
There's something comforting about knowing our circumstances don't affect the value of who we are. It makes the bad things less hurtful. It empowers us to overcome even terrible things and say, "This is not how my story will end."
This is not how my story will end.