Sometimes I think to myself, nobody cares about your sad story. I ponder over the idea of people thinking that I'm looking for sympathy, versus providing my story to others for comfort and healing.
The thing is I'm NOT looking for sympathy, but for IMPACT. I tell my story so that other people with stories similar to mines, can find comfort in knowing they are not alone and that someone else has made it through similar pains. I know the feeling of being alone and I hate to think that many are feeling the way I once felt, BEFORE I started sharing my story and finding comfort in people that had similar backgrounds.
I honestly believe that more people should be more open and honest about their pasts, and share their stories. Storytelling brings about healing for the one telling the story because it shows you care about the other persons feelings and FUTURE. Telling your story also helps the other person heal because they now know that they are not fighting a battle alone. Storytelling soothes and comforts the mind.
One might say to me;
"Why would I tell someone else that I was addicted to drugs and turned to prostitution at a young age?"
My response is;
"Where are you at now?" What kind of life are you living now?"
"Well I'm not doing that good financially, BUT, I'm no longer doing drugs and I'm not prostituting."
EXACTLY! That's my point! You can start out with a bad story full of pain and mistakes and end up with a good ending.
Many people don't see good endings to their situations because NO ONE is willing to tell them it exists, because they're too afraid to reveal they KNOW based on PERSONAL experience. The average person assumes you're "just saying that" because you trying to be nice. If you let them know you're saying it because, "You've been there, done that, and OVERCAME that," they're outlook on life would change. They would find hope through your testimony. Their outlook on life would be, "if she/he can do it, so can I."
That's why I share my story. That's why I'm not afraid to let people know what I've been through. I give the bad, the sad, the pain, and the GOOD to show that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that I am the living proof!
They don't know, until they're told. I believe in being a live example. My personal belief is that God gave us battles that he knew we were strong enough to fight and brave enough to talk about! I'm brave enough. I've shared my story, what's yours?