Growing up in a toxic step family where I witnessed my mother domestically violated, should have lowered my self esteem and made me a shadow of myself, exposing me to the dark side of life.
My Stepdad was one with an uncontrollable anger issue, the littlest things resulted to violence for him. He vented out his frustrations on me and my mother every single day, he did this so much that my mom's mental health was deteriorating.
Amidst the hurdles with a black eye she covers with make-up, she would always say;
" Life isn't what it shows you but what you see it as, your problems doesn't define you, be positive you'll overcome and you will always be better".
Her words had a strong hold on me so I ran with her words, overlooking the abnormalities around me, always pep talking myself into believing that things were going to be better and I won't have to face such inhumanity from my stepdad ever again.
A day came I almost lost my mom because my stepdad kept hitting her even as she was sick, I was so broken inside and I told myself I would be a better man and give my mother the life she deserves.
Finally my stepdad was lost to the cold hands of death, and I was with mixed feelings because I didn't want him to die and also wanted my mom's problems to be over. Looking on the bright side my mom was finally free.
My mother's toxic marriage has really taught me how to be a proper and better man, to make right decisions and how to treat the opposite sex with respect, care and love. Now all we see is the bright side of life where happiness is the order of the day and my mom could finally put up a genuine smile on her face.
