First, let me take a moment to thank anyone who has ever rejected me, abused me, abandoned me, gossipped about me, hurt me, lied to me, used me, left me, molested me, hated me, doubted me or overlooked me. If it weren’t for you I would not have been adaquately prepared to survive this phasee of my life. I have always believed that there is a purpose and plan in everything. My struggles in my early life were a training ground for this life I have ahead of me. I needed to know what it meant to be alone and on my own because friends and family would once again abandon me. I needed to know how to make my own opportunities instead of sitting back and waiting for things to happen because this system is rigged against me. I needed to know how to fight, both physically and mentally, to survive because this is a viscious world in here. I needed to know how to go hungry and how to make a meal out of nothing because I would have lean days. I needed to know how to only be able to trust myself because others will try to use and manipulate me in here. So thank you for preparing me, molding me, sharpening me. I AM NOT a victim because of you!

See people may read this and feel sorry for me or they may get the impression that I want them to feel sorry for me. Both reactions are wrong. It is not my intention to be viewed as a victim. Quite the opposite actually. I want you to read this and see triumph, see victory. See that not despite but because of my circumstances I am who I am today. Every heartache, pain, struggle, defeat was molding me to be better. It was shaping me and strengthening me. It was allowing me to have a testimony to share with others and to help others. To be able to tell a young lady “I understand what you are going through!”, and mean it. To be able to help people too ashamed or too broken to stand up for themselves. To be a voice for the voiceless. Remember, every event and every person in our lives has a purpose. It’s up to us to discover it and maximize the experience to the best of our abilities. It is up to us to take what others meant for bad and find the good in it. Take the disadvantages and use them to our advantage.

Noni J. Stinson
DOC #v04848