Image source: Pixabay
Life never comes easy for anyone. It might seem easy when you look from outside, but nothing is as pink as you might be tempted to think. We all have problems, we all have our challenges and crosses to carry.
Some of us like to paint a pink veiled picture of what life is or what we'd like it to be, which might not coincide with what we have in reality. We tend to complain about our problems and ignore the thought that others may have a worse life than us.
When you hit too many rock bottoms, the only thing that keeps you going is determination. Eleven years ago I met an amazing woman that fully embodies this concept.
My friend has had a hard life in her country. She entered into an arranged marriage at a very young age which ended up in divorce. Needless to add that she was looked down at just because of that. Yes, in some cultures, even nowadays being a divorcee is not an easy thing.
Later on she remarried again and had two children only to discover that her husband was a cheater. When she confronted him, he turned out to be a complete a**hole and he hit her.
Both sides of the families refused to get involved or side with her. Thus she was refused any type of help and she was asked to keep her mouth shut or else she would find herself disowned.
Therefore from being cheated on, she turned into a victim of domestic abuse. For the sake of her children eventually she decided to leave him and flee the country.
She came to Canada as a refugee and she started her life from zero. No money, no relatives, no friends. Only her skills and her determination to provide her children a better life.
Did I mention that she did not speak a word in English or in French? Two years later, she was fluent in both.
In her first months on Canadian soil she took two jobs in order to cope with the bills. Like many other immigrants she faced different aspects of racism. Although she was a master degree graduate, she was not able to find a position in her field. Everyone kept telling her she was over qualified.
After being passed around from one recruitment agency to another, she was eventually told that her chances of being hired would increase considerably if she would uncover her head.
Obviously, she refused to do so and hang on to her beliefs. Two months later, she did it. Not because she had given up her faith, but because she saw her kids suffering. They had been bullied at school because they were the only kids in the class who were different.
She put their happiness above anything else and she did anything in her powers to provide for them and keep them safe.
I have never met anyone more selfless or more determined to fight for his goals than her. This is only a short summary of her life story that I found inspirational and touching. There's nothing stronger than a mother's dedication her children's well-being.
What would you do for your kids?