Hope

Do not show me a man who survives battle

Do not show me a woman who endures abuse

Do not show me a child who overcomes their parents neglect

Show me the man who tells the woman he loves about his flashbacks

Show me the woman who tells her group session about how she finally decided enough was enough

Show me the child who grew up to be a parent as they punish their kid in a timeout for taking another kids toy

Don't show me the struggle

Don't show me the tears

Show me the redemption

Show me the hope that never died

We don't choose our struggles

But we choose to move forward

Let that be the lesson

Not strength

Not pain

Not endurance

But hope

That maybe, just maybe, we can be who we choose to be