Unbroken:Francess’s Story
Since the moment I was born, I have been a target. Unarmored and clueless of the dangers that lie ahead. Survival is beyond luck. It's through these stories that one realizes not everything breaks. Even the things that get shattered are not completely broken, and they can be put together to form a beautiful collage.
Childhood is a beautiful experience of sheer innocence and freedom. I sped through childhood dodging bullets underneath our bed in 1996. I lost the value of family when the divorce happened, and our mom left us in 1998. The day I left Lungi airport with my suitcase and with strangers became the evolution of the woman I am today. A new chapter armoured with weapons I never knew I had.
The attack started when my little breast buds filled my chest, and older men looked at me like hawks looking at their prey. I grew wisdom and knowledge to protect the purity of my womanhood. I use patience and dive into books to silence my parental figures' physical and emotional abuse. But, before I was 21 years old, I was a ward of the government, I lived in group homes, and I was a victim of domestic violence and a single parent. Yes, I got hit, but I was never broken.
Even in ruins, I found my strength. Friendships helped me thrive in the many counties and cities I have lived. Pain gave me the ability to love and treat vulnerable people with compassion. Emptiness helped me knit a bond with my daughter and sow beneficial seeds in the garden of her heart. I felt the magnitude of my strength when my daughter told me she wished she was as strong and fearless as me. I felt loved as my partner held my hand as the anaesthetics wore off.
You still will not know the half of it because I am still healing and learning. I still have silent moments of despair of wishful thinking about what could have been. However, I feel blessed to be educated with academic and life experiences. I am blessed to have faith and hope. The woman you see today is perfectly imperfect—a true soldier and unbroken.
To anyone going through hard times, never stop believing in yourself. Never stop pushing forward. Your greatest strength is knowing that even though you might bend down to the floor, you will never break, and you, too, shall tell your story and give others hope for a better future.
