It never goes away. You never “get over it”. The open wounds, they scar. But they can bust open at any minute. It’s a silent pain that no one can see. It’s loud though. You can be minding your own business, living life the best you know how and OUT OF NOWHERE, an awful image or memory or thought, crosses your mind. I often wonder how my life would be different without the infection of my past that fills my brain.

Recovery is beautiful though. Learning to accept what was but understanding that embracing what IS is more important.

Don’t live life as a victim. Don’t allow what happened to you consume who you are meant to be. You had no control over what happened. You DO have control over who you will be now. Use the pain as a fire. Become someone. Help others.

Don’t waste what happened to you. It happened. Now how can you use it for good? Beautiful things come from ashes.

Be. A. Beautiful. Thing.