What’s a chapter of your life you’d title “The Hard Years” — and what got you through it?
I call my teenage years “The Hard Years” of my life. My parents divorced when I was twelve, leaving Mom with seven kids ranging from sixteen down to three. She had another child when I was thirteen. Mom had custody of us, and, unfortunately, she made some selfish and short-sighted decisions.
I was blessed with one older brother and sister, three younger sisters, and two younger brothers. I have to admit that I didn’t think of the youngest as blessings at the time.
My siblings, especially those closest to me in age, went through the tough things with me. (My older sister Cindy is two years older, and my sister Amy is a year younger than me.)
My sister Cindy was like a second mom to all of us, making sure we all got ready in time for school.
We moved the summer after my sophomore year and started going to a new school. Amy was with me. Midway through my junior year, Mom moved us to another town. Again, my sister Amy was with me, hating the new school as much as I did.
Hard things are so much easier when someone goes through them with you.
Innermost Being 