by Ace Bowers
I am an overcomer. I can’t remain angry at the trials I have endured, because they reveal to me what my life might have looked like had I never broken the cycle. I refused to give into my victim’s mindset. I didn’t want my parents’ life, and I certainly didn’t want my children to live the childhood I had endured. That motivation provided the unbelievably steadfast mindset I needed to change my destiny.
I often think about how close I came to being homeless. I can remember those people on the sidewalk, and the realization they brought me still haunts me. I remember the crushing pain and guilt I felt at Anthony’s funeral. I remember the tears I shed in the courtroom when my brother was escorted away to prison. At any point in my life, this could have been me: homeless, dead, or in prison. All I had to do was stop trying. But hard work is often underestimated. Fortitude and willpower are life skills that can’t be taught, but must be lived out through an endurance obtained by running your own race. To be honest, I’d say my biggest milestone is surviving and overcoming; it allowed me to share my struggles, my journey, and my life with those who need encouragement the most.