Embrace your past as part of your wellness journey
When I was fourteen years old my mother suffered a heart attack, and a week later a major stroke that left her with long term memory loss. She could no longer remember my name, was speech impaired, paralyzed on the right side, and severely disabled. For a young person, it was hard to imagine what had actually taken place and it felt like I had lost my mother that day. As the youngest of two, my mother was my rock, my best friend and role model. Losing her, as she was, was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to overcome.
What I’ve learned over the years is that I had disconnected myself from that loss. I pulled away from my family – my sister, my father, and other relatives. I’m ashamed to say that I even pulled away from my mom, the person who needed me the most. I couldn’t bear to watch her struggle to learn how to walk or speak. It broke me.
Years later, as I reflect back on the tragedy that hit my family, I’ve realised how fortunate I was to have gone through that challenging time. Not only did I have my mom with me (and still get to see her beaming smile), I learned that life is not easy. In fact, it can be pretty damn terrible at times. In my most formative years, I learned the importance of prioritising mental and physical wellness. I learned how to be strong, to push through my hardest days and come through the other side with grit, humility and gratitude.
We all have stories. Many of us have already made it through our toughest moments. I invite you to join us at Free2Be Wellness to explore just how strong you are.
