The Unseen Disability

Dear Delyara, My 'Storm' is a chronic pain condition that has no outward signs. The 'Grind' is the daily effort to appear 'normal' so I don't lose my job or my friends. I live in a shadow world where every movement costs me energy I don't have. The 'Fire' hit when my partner told me they 'didn't sign up for a sick person.' I was at a 'Crossroads' of despair. I felt like a broken machine. But through the Sanctuary, I found a new way to define 'Strength.' My Victoria is the day I stopped apologizing for my body. I found a partner who sees my spirit, not just my limitations. The victory is knowing that a 'Storm' in the body doesn't mean a storm in the soul.