Angel’s Story – Find greatness in the struggle

I’ve never been very fortunate when it came to love — parental or romantic. I’ve loved, and I’ve been loved, but never quite in the way I needed.

As the oldest daughter, raising my three younger siblings became my responsibility. I was their protector, their guide, their maternal figure when ours only ever hurt and failed us. I was the “perfect kid” — excelling in school and at home — though it often felt like it didn’t matter. What did matter to me was my brothers. They have always seen me as more than a sister — as their mother, father, and guardian all in one. Despite my mistakes, they still care for me as if I were a saint.

We often sit together now, laughing about the days that once scared us the most — days of hunger, homelessness, and pain. Somehow, through all of it, we carried high spirits. It’s a wonder we can smile at all, but we do.

Now, we’re all older. My brothers are nearly grown, becoming fine young men. I’m almost 20, engaged to a wonderful fiancé, and in just a few months, I’ll welcome a baby girl into this world. Motherhood is calling me again, this time in the truest sense. I think back to the times when my siblings would look to me for answers — asking if they could go to a friend’s house, or if I could help get them school clothes. Soon, I’ll be looking into my daughter’s eyes, filling my heart with that same maternal love I’ve carried for years.

I’m grateful for the struggles that shaped me. They bonded my brothers and me in ways nothing else could. They taught me what true, undeniable love feels like.

Love has never been easy, but it’s mine — and I’m deeply grateful for it.