You promised yourself you would write this. One year later. One year of immeasurable pain, growth, and experiences you’d thought you’d never want — and yet they are the moments you wouldn’t trade for anything now.
You did it, amazing girl. You survived a year alone after years of abuse. Of trauma. Of pain. You walked away, blocked him from all forms of contact, and found your footing on your own again. And damn, aren’t you proud of yourself?
You trusted God and will continue trusting Him to guide you to the next phase of your life. You remembered that you were worthy of love — and that it was worth loving yourself. You rediscovered parts of yourself that had been buried deep out of fear he would try and destroy those too. But he didn’t. And you’re here, standing on your own two feet.
YOU DID THAT. Repeat those words over and over. Be so damn proud of what you’ve done. You remade your life. You made yourself whole from so many fragmented pieces. Each one a part of you. Each one something he tried to destroy — your joy, your independence, your curiosity, your faith, and your trust in others. The deepest, best parts of yourself that you hid are yours again, wholly and completely. And you will NEVER again be broken like that by another person.
You are grateful for the strength afforded you by the incredible people in your life. The ones who held you close when you couldn’t hold yourself together. The ones who made you feel valued when you had lost all sense of your own worth. And the ones who lifted you up to show you how deserving you are of love.
So stand up and face each new day with the knowledge that you made it through. You are made of grit, determination, strength, and grace. You are immeasurably valued and loved, and your love is worthwhile in return. You are AMAZING sweet girl, and you will never forget that again.
