How I got here, to the year mark, is miraculous. I have fought, prayed, sobbed, and clawed my way through this last year. In one years time I learned that my husband was abusing our daughter. I have soothed crying kiddos MANY times, I, personally, obtained evidence to protect my kids. I've gone to court where my husband was sentenced to 5 yrs prison time. I have gotten divorced. I have become a full time single parent. I have moved my little family to a different state, I have sold my home, I have found out my mom had lung cancer. I have watched my mom have a stroke and I have become a caregiver. If you would have told me on January 22, 2015 I would experience all of this I would not have believed you. I would not believe that I could handle it.
Here I am one year later and I have learned so many things but perhaps the most valuable thing I've learned is that I'm never done learning. I will master one obstacle and in hindsight think to myself, "I can see why I was supposed to go through that, I was supposed to learn from it. Okay good, I'm glad I learned that and now it's over." That's usually when life says, "guess again Celeste, I'm not done with you yet" and wa-bam, I am slammed with another obstacle (just think how wise I'm getting haha). One hurdle at a time I am learning different virtues that are slowly refining me to become more like our Savior.
So one year later and I can honestly say I am a much different person today than I was a year ago. I am so much braver than I ever knew. I am more independent than I ever thought I was capable of being. I am stronger, wiser, and more fearless. I have learned to be more humble and faithful. I have had SO MANY reasons to be more grateful on a daily basis. I have met so many incredible people and my relationships and friendships with others have gotten deeper. I have learned how to listen to the promptings of the spirit more effectively. I am not sure I would say I'm happier in the classic definition of the word but I am more content with myself. I know what I'm made of now and I'm proud of what I've not only survived but that I've allowed it to soften and teach me. It has been a choice to let my difficulties make me better not bitter. I have most definitely had bitter moments which is exactly why I'm proud of myself for where I am today.
365 days of healing. 365 days of turning towards the Savior because I could not do it alone. 365 days of allowing the atonement to work in my life. 365 days of forgiving others but more importantly forgiving and being patient with myself. 365 days and my little family is still broken in some ways. 365 days and we are still experiencing some pain and heartbreak. 365 days and it's not over, I will keep growing, keep learning and trials will continue to come. 365 days and I know that He doesn't always take away our trials but He will comfort us and give us strength to get through them if we will turn to Him. 365 days of tender mercies to help me carry on. 365 days of smiling even if some of those smiles have been through tears. 365 days of learning to have joy and laughter no matter how difficult my life is at the time. 365 days and I know now more than ever before that Christ is the source of all light, comfort, and truth! 365 days I have seen absolute and complete miracles; miracles that have made it so that I can never deny that there is a God and that His hand is actively involved in my life. 365 days and I move forward into the future with confidence knowing that my God is with me no matter what may come.
