My mess is in process of becoming my message

I have been going to a sexual assault survivors group that meets on Wednesday nights, and it has been incredibly healing for me. To find other people that have also had to live through trauma's that they didn't ask to deal with and for an hour and a half, have a safe place to come, cry, scream, whatever- and not feel like I'm burdening people by talking about my baggage... well, it's truly freeing. There is a couple that both went through childhood trauma's, and they shared this quote last week and it brought me to tears. I think for so long I HAVE LET MY PAST DEFINE ME that to have the world as my oyster now and to, in many senses, create new opportunities for myself, well, it's scary and freeing and so many things. This quote is thought provoking and I hope it makes you think just the way it did for me last week =)

Your past doesn't define your present or imprison your future. What happened then doesn't have to happen now. You decide today what your life is going to be. Your present and future are in your hands and your hands alone. Don't let whatever happened in the past hold you back from living your life now or later on. Let it go. Those scars, nightmares, and traumas that hurt you so badly, don't give them anymore power to hurt you. You are stronger than they ever could be. You are so much more than they could ever be. Please don't let them overshadow your beauty or your right to a better now. We all have things in the past that haunt us, but we have to choose to let it go and move on because we deserve to live in the now. We are worthy of a bright future. Run towards it and never look back.

It's rare, but every now and then, I'll get in a conversation and actually allow myself to not be the listening ear and answer some of the questions, which is beyond hard for me. I don't like the answers that I give because I'm still figuring out how to answer them and not have it be a total shock "since I look normal" (whatever that even means). Guess what. Even "normal looking" people have crap to deal with. We all do. it's part of being human. Move on.
I just loved that quote and wanted to share!
Love,
Amy Christine