As a young child, Vanessa thought it was normal when her parents pushed her or hit on her with their fists. To her normalcy wasn't just a word, it was a foreign concept that seemed much like a fairy tale.
Vanessa went from being a child to a teenager in it seemed, a blink of an eye. She had to learn to take care of herself, how to cook and clean for herself and her younger siblings. Her parents, always getting high or drunk and taking things out on her.
Going to school was difficult, she was socially awkward and shy and always fearful someone would notice her bruises, one's only she knew the pain of before they were bruises. And as much as she wanted to skip school, she knew the beating that she would receive should she get caught.
Internally she sported a scared heart, one that would never let her forget who she was and where she came from. Her parents wouldn't let her forget, her siblings wouldn't let her forget and neither would people around her who made fun of her for being so introverted.
Finally growing up and moving away, Vanessa sought refuge far away from her home in a dorm room, with a room mate she so desperately wanted to trust. Her whole life had been a game of running from dark shadows that never let her move on.
She had goals, she had a dream and she found that deep inside away from all that anger, hurt and pain, that she had the strength and the courage to be who she wanted to be.
Vanessa had learned that through every beating she'd taken from her parents, it had ultimately made her stronger. If she could suffer through being beaten like a dog, as her parents called her, then she could summon the strength and will power to get through any challenge life threw at her.
Vanessa went on to graduate college with a psychology degree. She was determined to help others who had been through similar experiences, find their inner strength and see that it is never to late to turn something terrible into something beautiful.
This story is based on a true story with the true identity being masked. Please feel free to leave your thoughts and feedback about this story.
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