When I think about my childhood, I see a life shaped by absence, fragmented love and resilience, by love that was there and love that wasn’t. Growing up as the daughter of a teen mother who was not around for several reasons and an absent father left me with questions, gaps, and a quiet longing that followed me into adulthood. The lessons I learned were not always gentle they were forged in moments of separation, uncertainty, and the constant balancing act of holding myself together while waiting for guidance and care. Those early experiences didn’t just shape my childhood. They continue to influence how I navigate relationships, trust, and my own sense of self. I’ve realized that the way I seek love, handle conflict, and even measure my worth often traces back to the patterns and voids I carried. I found myself searching for validation in places that weren’t always healthy, trying to fill a space left empty by absence. But reflection has shown me another side of the story. Those exp...
Some stories begin with love. Mine began with absence, resilience, and a young mother who was still learning how to live while trying to raise me. This is my journey through pain, purpose, and the kind of love that grows from survival the story of what it means to be the daughter of a teen mother and an absent father. No one could have prepared me for being the daughter of a teen mother and an absent father. No one could have prepared me for the obstacles, the journey, or the emotional and mental effects it would have on me both as a child and even now, as an adult. I wasn’t ready for the heartache, the breakdowns, the letdowns, or the tears. I wasn’t ready for how deeply it would shape me. There were days it felt like I was walking through fire barefoot, with no one to carry me, no one to shield me from the burn. I know God has a plan and a purpose for my life. I’ve always believed that. But for years, it seemed as though my life was destined for destruction. Every path I took seeme...