When I Was...

When I was 3, my father cheated on my mom.

When I was 3, I loved my parents.

When I was 4, I saw my mother got hit for the first time.

When I was 4, I was scared that I would be hit too.

When I was 5, I stopped loving my father.

When I was 5, I learned that life is unfair and that people always have a bad past.

When I was 5, I was always scared to fall asleep, because I was scared of all the bad dreams that I would have.

When I was 6, I never wanted to go home, I always wanted to get out of the house.

When I was 7, I learned how to keep a secret.

When I was 7, I learned things that a young child should not be exposed to bad things.

When I was 8, my parents split up.

When I was 8, my brothers blamed me.

When I was 9, I went from house to house.

When I was 9, my brothers loved my father.

When I was 10, my parents broke up again.

When I was 10, my father left my life.

When I was 11, I was bullied because of how I acted.

When I was 11, I was diagnosed with Social Anxiety Depression.

When I was 12, my brothers found out what my father did.

When I was 12, my brothers became the 'father' of the family.

When I was 13, I found out that I had a half-brother.

When I was 13, I had my first heartbreak.

When I was 14, I became a freshman.

When I was 14, I had my second heartbreak.

When I was 15, I was contemplating committing suicide.

When I was 15, I was diagnosed with Major Depression.

When I was 16, I met my best friend.

When I was 16, I had my third heartbreak.

Now I'm 17 and I will not let what happened in my past affect my future.

When I have kids I will treat them like they're my world, I will make sure nothing happens to them.

When my kids go to school I will make sure that they can take care of themselves.

With everything that has happened to me I have learned that I can't live in the past.

With this, I will help people with family problems.

I will be there for people, even though no one was there for me.