There were 18 of us in my family living on a farm in West Virginia. We fought amongst each other for food, clothes and even a place to sleep. We learned by example and our role models were alcoholics. We were subject to all kinds of abuse. There were sixteen children then and only nine left today. I had a sister that died at birth, one sister froze to death, one sister beaten to death, a brother died in a car wreck, one brother shot in a bar and two brothers shot by the police. We hated the law and the law hated us. I never knew if tomorrow would come but hung on to the will to survive. I guess I was one of the lucky ones.
Many of my memories are of things I would rather not remember. When I was eleven I found out that my oldest sister was really my mother. Her stepfather had raped her. After she gave birth to me, she left me there to be raised in the same environment that she fled. I almost believed that nothing good could come from a child like me because that's what I had always heard. I now do better because I know better. The things in life that were meant to beat me down have only made me stronger.
Today I am married to a wonderful guy and have two great children. I still face challenges in my life. I know it is a challenge to live in the world and not be of this world but of a better place. I don't wonder if tomorrow will come anymore. I know tomorrow will come, whether it's here on earth or in the 'hereafter' tomorrow will come.
