The Legacy I’m Building

Dear Journal,

Sometimes I sit back and reflect on just how far I’ve come, and it almost feels unreal. I fought so hard to be here..harder than most people will ever know. From a young age I had no choice but to stand on my own, to become independent before life ever gave me time to breathe. But that same independence, that same fire, is what built the woman I am today.

I look at my children and I see the strength, the intelligence, and the resilience that lives within them… and I know that everything I went through had purpose. I wasn’t just fighting for myself..I was fighting to break every statistic that tried to swallow me whole. I was fighting to show them that struggle doesn’t define your ending. Strength does. Faith does. Perseverance does.

Raising independent, smart, capable individuals has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I taught them early that they are not bound by where they come from or what others expect of them. I taught them to rise, to think for themselves, to chase what they deserve, and to never shrink for anyone.

My legacy isn’t built on perfection — it’s built on resilience.

It’s built on the nights I cried and kept going.

The mornings I wanted to give up but still stood tall.

The battles I fought quietly so my children would never have to fight them loudly.

I am grateful. So grateful. For the strength that carried me this far, for the faith that held me together, and for the independence that shaped my story. Every chapter of my life — the good, the painful, the beautiful, the unbearable — led me right here.

And if there is one thing I know for sure, it’s this:

My legacy will not be one of struggle.

It will be one of strength, healing, and breaking every statistic they ever tried to place on us.

Here’s to resilience. Here’s to growth. Here’s to the legacy I’m building with love, courage, and unshakable faith.

Here’s to humble beginnings

Xoxo

Mel