“Oh no, not I, I will survive,
Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I’ll stay alive.
I’ve got my life to live, and I’ve got all my love to give,
and I’ll survive, I will survive, hey hey.”
Gloria Gaynor – I will survive

“Per aspera ad astra”, through hardships to stars. At some point I came across with the Latin phrase and it has become a motto of some sort for me. Also as I child I heard often the phrase: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Different kind of experiences, challenges, if one can survive of those, bring life experience and different kind of perspective to life.

For me challenges have taught that I don’t take anything for granted. In my own childhood I haven’t gotten things that some people take for granted. I wasn’t accepted, I couldn’t live in a detached house or have a whole home, we never had a good and steady financial situation, I didn’t have friends that I could trust etc. I was surrounded with people who had the things I wanted but I was left without.

As an adult I can appreaciate the things that I was left without as a child. If I can be in a relationship where I’m seen and heard, accepted as I am. If at some point I can live in a detached house which is a home for me. If I’m surrounded with friends who care and help. If I can live without worrying that do I have enough money for tomorrow and will I manage. If now I can live a better life that I had as a child I can appreciate it and be grateful for what I have.

The world is filled with different kind of people with different kind of experiences. Though challenges have taught me gratitude thus might not be with everyone. It’s possible that someone’s who have had a good childhood or haven’t had that many challenges, can’t see what they have and be grateful for it. It might be that they don’t have a desire, capability or yet understanding to see what they have. It might be that they don’t have nothing to compare it to.

I’ve always tought and wished that nobody should go through the same as me. If I can do something to prevent it, I will. Nonetheless I would like to be an example to the people around me and for my possible posterity that be grateful for what you have. Especially if things are good now. I wish that people coudl be grateful without the need of hardships to remind of it.

With love, Anu-Maarit