From childhood, many of us were taught: “Do the right thing, and life will treat you right in return.” Somewhere along the way, we came to believe that life should be fair. But then life happens—and we realize that’s not how the world works.
Innocent children grow up in broken homes. Some endure unimaginable sexual abuse, drug exposure, emotional abandonment. Who is to blame? Often, the deepest scars are carried not because of anything they did wrong, but because of the brokenness of others.
If your childhood was marked by pain, neglect, or emotional absence, hear this clearly: you did not deserve it. It was not your fault. Your pain is real, and it is valid.
So how do we begin to heal?
Sometimes, the deepest healing starts with simply acknowledging that what happened was not fair—but it did happen. It’s not helpful to justify it, dismiss it, or rush past it with a “just move on.” Healing begins when we stop ignoring the hurt and start naming it. There is power in recognizing our pain, addressing it, and allowing it to become the foundation for a new future—not the end of our story.
