Embracing Myself

For a long time, I saw myself as broken. The reason? A learning disability compounded by challenges in physical and emotional growth. I felt misunderstood—even by my own family. In response, I gravitated toward people who were different, often those with personalities that leaned toward the darker side of life. What I didn’t realize was that this opened the door for dysfunctional people to enter my life. Their personalities weren’t necessarily dark, but they weren’t as understanding as I initially believed.

Over time, I began to notice red flags in their behavior. They didn’t hate me, but they were often dismissive of my feelings. I tolerated it because I thought no one else would accept me or truly understand me. Looking back, I see that my perception of myself as dysfunctional drew these kinds of relationships into my life. But now, I understand that I am not dysfunctional. Yes, I have flaws. Yes, I am complex. But I am not broken.

I am learning to see myself as God sees me. And in His eyes, I am beautiful, intelligent, and compassionate. I am perfectly imperfect. Like everyone, I have room to grow, but being a better person doesn’t mean I’m starting from a place of dysfunction. God has never seen me that way, even when I saw myself in that light. To Him, I am whole, and He will continue to guide me as I become the best version of myself.