REAL LIFE STORIES
A Story of Suffering & Success…
Let me tell you a story.
Once upon a time, in a galaxy very, very close…
A boy lived with his single, disabled mum on one of the land’s most scariest council estates. There weren’t ogres or trolls, but there were people peddling otherworldly substances with scary, loud voices and lingering stares.
The boy’s mother was the only friend he had. The family called him horrible names & his teachers thought him odd for wanting to read instead of playing outside. The magical lands found in those books were the escape he needed.
The pages acted as tissues, holding the boy’s tears as strength for another day.
One day, he would be just like those heroes. Selflessly helping those in need.
By day, he would be pushed around & bullied for not liking what the other boys liked. By evening, he would walk 10 miles delivering & collecting catalogue orders to help pay the bills. By night, he would lay awake outside his mum’s door, listening for her every breath.
Each inhale, a jab. Every exhale, relief.
His mum cried more than he did. Especially on the day the boy & his mum had to live outside. His evil step-brother gave them sanctuary, but the boy preferred the outside to that. They eventually escaped, but didn’t live happily ever after.
One day, some strangers from another land took the boy away from his mum. They went to this place where other children played games, felt safe & spoke to adults about their lives. The boy didn’t feel safe here. He cried & cried, so they let him go back to his mum.
Safe.
The boy continued to care for his mum, even when he was accepted to study law at a university near his dad, 5 hours away. His courage started to build & he met allies on his journey to helping others. He ended up studying writing instead of law, but that’s another story.
The boy spent the proceeding years failing, learning & growing. He travelled to mysterious & exciting lands far across the sea, where he made new friends and learned about different people and their lives. Whilst his pain remained, it seemed to be shared through other’s similar journeys.
When the boy eventually found love, he thought it would last. A few years later, it faded, as did his momentary happiness. What followed was a destructive period of darkness, enveloped by a mist disguised as a pandemic.
However…
His formative years, whilst painful, gave him the strength to get through. Not only did he become stronger than before, he became more considerate. A new business thrived as did a true love. But that’s for another story…
There’s always another story.
What’s yours?
This article is solely for informational purposes and represents the writer’s personal opinion. Please seek professional advice if required.
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