I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about where I come from and how it shaped the person I am today. My story starts with love, but also with a journey that came with questions, emotions, and the struggle to find my place in the world.
When I was very young, my aunt took me in. I may have been too small to understand what was happening at the time, but now I know how much that meant. It was an act of love that gave me a sense of stability during a time of uncertainty. But just because I was with family didn’t mean things were perfect. Like any situation where life takes a different path than expected, there were challenges, emotionally and practically. There were times I felt confused, different, and unsure of where I fit in.
At the age of two, my mother adopted me. From that moment on, she raised me with love, strength, and resilience as a single parent. I watched her navigate life with determination and love, doing her best to give me everything I needed. In 2006, she got married, and our family began to grow and change in new ways.
But even with all the love around me, I struggled, quietly and deeply, with feelings of self-worth for a long time. I questioned why I wasn’t raised by my biological parents, why things had to be different for me. I wondered if something about me had made me unworthy of the kind of beginning I saw others have.
It took years for me to understand that being loved differently doesn’t mean being loved less. That my worth isn’t defined by how my story started, but by who I choose to become. And most importantly, I learned that family isn’t always about who you’re born to, it’s about who shows up, who stays, and who fights for you.
Today, I carry all of this with me, not as a burden, but as part of my strength. My journey has given me empathy, resilience, and a deep appreciation for the people who chose me, stood by me, and helped me find my place.
