Childhood

How does it feel to look back on your childhood? Are memories resurfacing? Memories of fear, loss and abandonment? Memories of anger, distraught and sadness? Memories of hope, love and happiness? Think back to when your story began. Whether your childhood was full of good or bad memories, those memories shaped you into who you are today. You learned from the hardship and you planted in the love.

Thinking back can be hurtful. Despite the life you have, you still have memories that bring up emotions of bitterness, sadness and anger. Because people are imperfect, those close to you have let you down at one point in your life.

When I was writing my testimony last week, and as I continue to write it for the coming weeks, I am re-feeling events. It’s really hard to look back sometimes and sit in your feelings. But what I’m recognizing from those memories is how strong I am. If you have had a hard life, you are strong. If you have had an easy life, you are strong but perhaps in a different way. As we grow up, our circumstances differ, but no matter what, we grow from what we walk through.

Although I had a good upbringing, I still had trouble making the right friends. I kept getting caught up in groups who didn’t see me. I had fake friends, friends who went behind my back, and friends who used me because I was gullible. Now, in high school, I have a small group of friends who are amazing. But it took me a long time to get there. I had trouble opening up to people because I was afraid of being judged. I’m sure many of you have similar stories. Or maybe you were the life of the party and great at making friends. But what circumstance did that personality stem from? I learned what a bad friendship looked like in order for me to create good ones. Every memory, every circumstance and event in your life can be learned from.

Here’s what I want you to do. I want you to look at your childhood as a whole. Examine certain core memories and find a way to learn from them. These circumstances, however good or bad or in-between they may be, are in your life for a reason. In fact, your childhood is the beginning of your testimony. You were either sent down the right path or the wrong path and you made the decision to stick with the path set out for you from childhood or to make the conscious decision to change it. What can you learn from your childhood? What memory is propelling you to work as hard as you do? What memory created that spark? What memories have yet to be learned from? Your past can guide you just as well as your future.