My 10-year-old daughter always rushed to the bathroom as soon as she came home from school. When I asked, “Why do you always take a bath right away?” she smiled and said, “I just like to be clean.” However, one day while cleaning the drain, I found something. The moment I saw it, my whole body started trembling, and I immediately…

thoughtful. Then, without missing a beat, she added, “And I’m ready for more. I’m ready to move forward. To keep drawing, to keep making friends, and to keep being me.”

In that moment, I realized just how much she had taught me. Lily had found a way to face the darkness, to accept the scars, but not let them control her. She had shown me what true strength continue reading …