I lived on the street because I was trying to find myself and because I was ignorant and uneducated. Looking back at my life, I can relate to many groups of people that have been categorized as abused in one way or another: marital rape and spousal abuse, child abuse, mental health issues, homelessness, and psychological abuse. Assaulted by a gang of women and beaten down by life, by the grace of God, I was able to pull myself out of that life, become educated, and learn to love myself.

Imprisoned by my own circumstances and ignorant about life, education opened my eyes to a new way of living. The strength I needed to go on was based on an unseen force that moved me forward. My faith could move mountains, but faith alone does not make a woman. Growing up comes with a cost. For some teenagers who are facing unidentified or undiagnosed psychological issues, being patient with life itself is not an option. We tend to run toward something, never really knowing what that something is. The price I had to pay growing up was sometimes greater than I could bear.

When you're an adult, you see people in the street and think nothing of it. You pass them by without even looking at them. That person you just passed by has lived a life that no one else could understand. The somber look on their faces hides truths that would shock you. The life I lived, of always running, is hidden deep inside my soul.

I found the courage through education and hope through my belief in God to leave.