Where would I be if the mistakes my mom, my real-dad, and I have made were not made? Would I be the same? Most likely not. Would I even be alive? Probably not.

If my mom, Dawn*, had never let my real-dad, Dave*, move in with her, they never would have got married in '97 and had me a year later. Well, she probably would've had a kid, but that baby would not be me.

If she had never married him, she would have never lost her house and my older brother, Tyler*, would remember all of his childhood. But one change in the quilt of my history would cause a big change in my family's lives. The threads of my life’s quilt are not my own to play with and change. The threads are intertwined with the life quilt of others.

All I mean is: appreciate the mistakes you and others have made. You may not like them, but without them you would be a completely different person. You would not be as strong/weak or as nice/mean or, well the way you are and should be. Learn from your mistakes and let them make you stronger.


* Means the names are not the actual names to protect the identities of my family.