Hard Stories

My friend, Michelle, did a Facebook live some time ago about how it’s so important to share our stories, all of them, even the hard ones — especially the hard ones.

Why? Because someone else may be in your story now — the one you made it through to tell about. They don’t want to hear “what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger,” because in their mind, this may be the one that will kill them. They need to know that it is possible to live through it and come out the other side. She said when she tells one of her hard stories, she has an emotional hangover afterward. Because she relives it as she puts pen to paper. It’s like she’s back in that hard story. And it hurts. And it’s still hard. But she’s survived.

It makes me think about my own story. In conversation with a friend recently, we shared bits and pieces of our stories with each other. In that conversation I told her there are 8–10 things I’ve said or done that I regret so much that I would trade a day of my life to take back each one! But I can’t! They are things I will regret until my dying day, but I cannot allow that truth to consume me and prevent me from living fully into the future for which I’m destined.

We need to expose our demons, too. Like depression. Like addiction. Like abuse. Like chronic pain. Like self-loathing. Like fear. And we need to let others know that yes, we are burdened, as are they. Yes, it’s hard some days. Okay — a lot of days! But you also have incredible joy at being alive! You make it through the day, sometimes plodding, sometimes skipping with delight!

You’ve learned to savor the times that make you happy, that make you sing, that make you grateful to be alive. They are what sustain you through the harder times. God promises us that He will never abandon us, nor forsake us! When we rely fully upon Him and lean into His promises, we are able to be joyful in the journey! We know what awaits us!

Our job here on earth, is to help others realize that joy and blessed assurance! You are not alone. Neither am I. And while I would like a “do-over” of some days/weeks/years . . . I know God redeems them all to enrich and empower us to pull others up from their struggle. When we tell our story, we give others hope that their story, too, can be one of hope and dreams fulfilled; of joy and covered in grace.

Tell your story. Even the hard parts. Someone needs to hear it. And every time you tell it, the sun shines a little brighter for you! And that allows you to shine a little brighter for the world.

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Here on medium: Mary Moss