This is a story of a toddler, teenager, woman, and mother:that person being myself. I hope that you will find somerelation to and understanding of the term normalcy. Thedesire to be “normal” is in each one of us. The struggle is understanding those we come in contact with and knowing what their opinion of normal might be. This story takes you through all of the hardships in my life from a young girl and explicitly details those memories. By unleashing my memories, they are no longer a burden to me. Knowing the how and why of loved ones’ behavior also helps me to see more clearly and gain the concept of selflessness. Your teenager does not hate you; she strives to look up to you. Your mother is not against you; she really cares. And finally your authority figures are not meant to be fearful. All of these expressions you will deeply “get” by reading, and if my reasoning behind writing this story is understood, then I will have accomplished more than I deserve.

      I spent my childhood in one of the most dysfunctional families. The ironic truth is that I am grateful for it. I experienced many traumatic events in my life at a very young age. I am an adult now and only grow each day understanding my behavior and how it affected many outcomes for me. Today, I have two children of my own and a full-time job. I am a former small business owner and currently work in sales for the Tampa Tribune/Highlands Today.