Quicksand

There you are in a space with no inspiration, stuck in quicksand going down every time you move, so you stay still to avoid being overtaken by the voices in your head, telling you not to move.

I was trapped in the quicksand, dealing with trauma, with others judging me as they had no idea what I was dealing with, trapped in quicksand.

We are born with a blank slate as life molds us into who we become in the future.

I had big dreams, aspiring to be a Veterinarian, do Broadway shows, and travel. I remember auditioning for the play A Raisin in the Sun. The director told my parents that he wanted to cast me in part of Beneatha Younger, but I did not look twenty-two.

Devasted, I gave up on my vision, and a week after my audition, my life would change forever.

I now was in the quicksand with no way out. Looking back, I wish I knew what I know now, but how could I?

Over the years, I learned it was not my fault. I was a victim.

Now, I am a survivor willing to be the best at everything I do.

How will you help someone deal with trauma? How are you dealing with your trauma if you have experienced it? Remember, it's okay not to be okay. Self-care is imperative and if you know someone who needs help, try to point them in the right direction vs. passing judgment on what you may not understand.