I Am Stronger Because of All I've Been Through

Wear Your Pain Like Armor... I have had a slightly more 'colorful' life in my 21 years of existence than most people experience in their lives. But I do not let it rule over me, I do not allow it to hold me back, nor do I ignore it and constantly repeat my mistakes.

I chose to take my experiences and learn from them. I took my pain, and instead of being crushed by the weight of it, I wore it like armor. Not only does it hold no power over me any more, but it has made me more powerful.

Nietzsche wrote "What doesn't destroy you only makes you stronger." I believe the same. It is only when you defeat your pain that you can truly learn from it. And from those experiences - however unpleasant they may have been - you gain wisdom, strength and know-how.

I do not live in the past, but it has defined me. It has forged me into the person I am today. It gives me character. I would not be who I am now, if not the lessons learned, tears cried and experience gained from my past. And as a result of that I am stronger in the present.