I grew up in a war zone. We fought battles with bullets full of words, piercing each other with every shot. We were always left wounded, but these were battles that could never be won. I used to tell people my story and they would feel sorry for me. I felt sorry for me too. But I’ve come to realize that these experiences bred positivity in me that I would have never gained otherwise.

My best friend Dia messaged me one day and told me someone she knew was being abused. She was afraid for him and wanted to help, but she didn’t know how. She came to me and asked what she should do. She asked me what I needed when I was in his situation. I stopped what I was doing and told her what to do. I told her to listen to him, to care for him, and to guide him to help. After the long messages she thanked me and said “You are so strong and determined to do good things in the world and its is so inspiring. You will change lives and even if you never hear a single thank you, you will still have made a difference to those people that you have helped.”

She saw this need within me to help people. She tells me I may come from something negative, but I radiate positivity. She helped me realize that I use the emotional abuse I suffered to help those who are like me. Those who are being or have been abused. Those with mental illnesses. Those who are struggling with their gender and sexuality. She sees me helping others because all I ever wanted was for someone to help me.

So I believe in the positivity within negative situations. I know now that my experiences have shaped me into someone I am proud to be. Someone who I would have needed. I may have grown up in a barren war zone, but I continue to grow in a lush garden, surrounded by the beautiful greenery of those I love. The growth of those around me being evidence of my own.