Dear Prudence,
   Growing up, I had many pure and joyous experiences, but I also had some not so good ones. Starting in middle school, I was bullied, manipulated and made fun of. It went on through high school and I still find myself in similar situations at this time in my life, and I'm sure I always will. People can be mean, really mean. I know because I've been both the victim and the mean one. All throughout my adolescence, I always felt like I was alone in my pain and my suffering. Through disheartening experiences and my naive perspective, I felt that I could not trust people and I felt embarrassed or ashamed to confide in another. Others often gave me the impression that my feelings were not valid.

   I recently have been watching my younger sister going through similar things that I have experienced. I know it's hard for her to share things with me and other's close to her. To be quite honest, it's absolutely heartbreaking to see someone you love suffer and carry this sadness around alone. I don't ever want my sister to feel alone and I want to find every way possible to help her know that she is incredible and that she is loved. That is why I have been inspired and have decided to create this blog. I want to share experiences that myself and other's have had that I think most people can relate to in some way or another. I want those of you who can relate or sympathize to offer comfort, advice, guidance, similar experiences and express anything you feel and think.

   I want this to be a refuge for those of us who feel alone in carrying our burdens. For those of us who don't always love ourselves. For those of us who don't always feel pretty. For those of us who don't feel like we belong or fit in. For those of us who feel that we don't measure up to those around us. For those of us who have need to forgive. For those of us who need to be forgiven. I want this to be a place of beauty, inspiration, honesty and enlivening. I want this to be a safe place. I want this to be a place of love.

   One last reason for this blog is a bit selfish. I have endured some really hard experiences and I want to get them out of me and share them with the world. I want the world to know that I have found strength in the dark, I have found a love for myself and I have found a voice. My hope and wish is that other's will find these same things for themselves.

   Prudence is all of us, the one who is struggling and needs to hear that they're not the only one. The one we are turning to so we can lighten our load and seek comfort and guidance.  Darling is all of us, the one who wants to share their experiences and heartache so other's can learn and find strength through them.  The one wants to be heard and who is hoping for validation, compassion and to be uplifted and strengthened.



                                                                                          Honestly and truly,
                                                                                                               Darling