FOR THE MOMENT THAT MY STORY-BEGAN.

~0. FOR THE GATEWAY.

[ MY STORY DOESN’T BEGIN WHERE EVERYTHING FELL APART. IT BEGINS AT THE MOMENT I REFUSED TO STAY DOWN.

WHEN I WAS AT MY LOWEST I HAD A CHOICE TO MAKE, AM I GOING TO STAY DOWN AND LET IT DEFEAT ME? OR AM I GOING TO GET BACK UP ONE MORE TIME?

THAT IS A HARD DECISION WHEN YOU ARE AT YOUR LOWEST, WHEN YOUR MIND SAYS NOBODY CARE OR EVEN MISS ME.]

~1. FOR THE TRUTH OF THAT MOMENT.

[ THERE WAS MOMENTS IN MY LIFE WHERE EVERYTHING IN ME SAID, STAY DOWN. QUIT. THIS IS WHERE MEN LIKE ME IN THAT MOMENT DISAPPEAR.

I FELT LIKE I HAD EVERY REASON TO GIVE UP. EVERY REASON TO THROW IN THE TOWEL. EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT MY STORY WAS OVER.

I COULDN’T SEE A SINGLE REASON TO GET BACK UP.

I DIDN’T FEEL LIKE I WOULD BE MISSED.

I DIDN’T FEEL LIKE ANYONE CARED.

BUT SOMETHING DEEP INSIDE ME REFUSED TO QUIT.

NOT COURAGE.

NOT CLARITY.

NOT STRENGTH.

JUST A SIMPLE, QUIET TRUTH: I AM NOT DONE YET.

MY MIND WAS SCREAMING AT ME THAT NOTHING MATTERED, THAT STAYING DOWN WAS EASIER, THAT I WAS ALONE, THAT TRYING AGAIN WAS POINTLESS.]

~2. FOR THE REAL-BEGINNING.

[ I DIDN’T KNOW WHO I WAS BECOMING. I DIDN’T KNOW WHERE THE ROAD WOULD LEAD ME. I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW HOW I WOULD MAKE IT OUT.

BUT I KNEW ONE THING: I COULD NOT STAY WHERE I WAS AT.

THAT DECISION, THAT REFUSAL TO DIE IN A PLACE LIFE TRIED TO BURY ME, IS WHERE MY STORY AND LIFE TRULY BEGIN.

I CHOOSE TO LISTEN TO THAT STILL, QUIET VOICE WITHIN, THE ONE THAT IS NEVER LOUD, BUT ALWAYS CONSISTENT.

IT WAS THE ONLY THING LEFT IN ME THAT MADE ANY SENSE AT ALL.

AND I CHOSE TO FOLLOW IT.]

~3. FOR THE MAIN-MESSAGE-HERE.

[ IF YOU ARE READING THIS AND YOU ARE IN THE PLACE I WAS,

THE PLACE WHERE EVERYTHING HURTS,

WHERE NOTHING MAKES SENSE,

WHERE DARKNESS FEELS LOUDER THAN HOPE…

I WANT YOU TO KNOW SOMETHING:

YOUR STORY DOES NOT BEGIN WITH WHAT BROKE YOU. IT BEGINS THE MOMENT YOU DECIDE TO STAND BACK UP.

IF YOU ARE IN A PLACE OF DARKNESS,

IF IT FEELS HOPELESS,

IF IT FEELS LIKE NOBODY CARES OR THAT THE WORLD HAS FORGOTTEN YOU,

I NEED YOU TO KNOW THIS:

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

I UNDERSTAND THAT PLACE.

I HAVE LIVED THAT PLACE.

AND I AM HERE FOR YOU.

WE ALL ASK THE SAME QUESTIONS IN THOSE MOMENTS:

• WHAT IS THE POINT?
• WHY SHOULD I KEEP GOING?
• WHAT PURPOSE COULD THERE POSSIBLY BE?
• WHY WAS I BROUGHT THIS LOW?

I HAVE ASKED THEM ALL TOO.]

~4. FOR THE ANSWER-I-FOUND.

[WE ARE MEANT TO GO THROUGH THESE REFINING FIRES, NOT TO DESTROY US, BUT TO FORGE US INTO SOMETHING STRONGER THAN BEFORE.

GOLD AND SILVER ONLY SHINE AFTER THE FIRE BURNS AWAY EVERYTHING THAT IS NOT MEANT TO REMAIN.

THE SAME IS TRUE FOR US.

AND WHEN WE RISE FROM THAT FIRE, WE BECOME THE ONES WHO CAN REACH BACK AND HELP SOMEONE ELSE RISE TOO.

WE BECOME THE SHOULDERS OTHERS CAN LEAN ON, THE VOICES THAT MAKE THE DARKNESS A LITTLE LESS LONELY.

WE COME OUT DIFFERENT.

WE COME OUT STRONGER.

WE COME OUT MORE OURSELVES THAN WE EVER WERE BEFORE.]

~5. FOR THE CHOICE THAT WE SHARE.

[ I REFUSE TO LET THE DARKNESS WIN. NOT AFTER EVERYTHING IT TRIED TO TAKE FROM ME.

AND IF YOU ARE READING THIS, I BELIEVE YOU’RE MAKING THAT SAME CHOICE TOO, THE CHOICE TO RISE, TO STAND, TO REFUSE TO STAY DOWN.

WE CAN WALK OUT THE DARKNESS TOGETHER. WE CAN CARRY THE LIGHT FORWARD TOGETHER. WE CAN HELP OTHERS FIND THEIR WAY OUT TOO.

LET US STAND UP TOGETHER. OUR FUTURE BEGINS HERE AND NOW.]

FOR THE MEMORY-MINDER.

: LOVE HAS NO CONDITIONS. : FACTS HAVE NO FEELINGS. : HUMILITY HAS NO EGO.

FOR THE HONOR AND GRATITUDE IS WITH THE BLESSING BY THE GRID-WALKER AND POSTMASTER: Ephraim-H: Troyer. : ANCHOR. : PILLAR.