I'm not like you

I had a friend going through a difficult time tell me the other day “I’m not like you. I’m not strong." “You will be”, I said. And I am like you. And I was like you. Scared. Scared of the future. Scared of the present. Scared my past would haunt me and never let me open my heart again. 

But I was also hopeful. And honest. And broken. And trying. And I would not let my spirit be shaken no matter how bruised it may have become. 

I am like you. And you are like me. And you will walk taller and feel stronger and be better than you find yourself today. You will take a breath and take one more and keep on moving to see what’s next. You will someday skip and laugh and be amazed with what has come. You will look back and realize that today does not define you however much it changes you. You will be ok. I know. Because I have been there like so many before and so many more to come.

Lesson learned. 

- a