Raised by a father who fought in two wars, I was raised not as a child but more like a prisoner of war. I was isolated , occasionally starved, and barely clothed. I didn't participate in many childhood activities. There were no birthdays or Christmas celebrations, no playing outside, no bike riding, none of the things typical children engage in.
It was truly a house of horror! I stumbled through life with no real direction and became a heavy user of alcohol and many drugs. Although I worked as a professional, I never maintained a job or any personal relationships.
At the age of 50, I had a stroke and was forced into retirement. In retrospect, it was possibly one of the best things that ever happened to me. I received intense psychological therapy for 7 years, and was forced to address those dark memories that were suppressed so deeply. I was liberated and in the process was also finally able to let go of the traumatic experience of being raped at 8 years of age by a family friend. The therapy was truly a gift from Almighty God! I made what medical personnel consider a miraculous recovery from the stroke. I regained my speech, the movement on my right side and most importantly my short term memory. I never gave up, I simply believed that with prayer and faith, I'd be restored.
Most of my life I placed limits on myself based on my negative experiences from childhood. Those experiences are now character building memories. I now use my voice and time to help others get over childhood trauma as well as the pain of addiction. My favorite expression is: "Stars need darkness to shine". If things are dark in your life, keep the faith and get ready to shine as an example of a truly liberated individual. Love and respect to all.