The Legacy of the Storm

Dear Delyara, My family has always been defined by 'The Storm'—we were refugees who lost everything. The 'Grind' of my life has been trying to prove that we belong here. I worked until my hands bled to buy a house, to have a 'Victoria' I could show the world. But I realized I was still living in the 'Shadow' of fear, waiting for it all to be taken away again. My real Victoria didn't come when I bought the house; it came when I stopped being afraid to spend money on a nice dinner. The victory was letting go of the trauma of the past and finally living in the present. I am not just a survivor; I am a person who is allowed to enjoy the sun.