Courage, to me, is exceeding my limit. Even if it’s just by a tiny bit. I build walls to stop myself from trying something; having courage helps me to climb over them. I took care of my father at a young age and I thought it wasn’t a big deal. I realized I had courage when I stood up and told him that what he was doing wasn’t okay. Unfortunately, he didn’t listen. He has a disease.
Coming to Alateen also gave me the courage to reach out to other teens and encourage them to attend Alateen.
There are still some hard things for me to do like talking about my past because it leads to my weaknesses. I don’t always want to be reminded of the bad spot I used to be. I grew up thinking that I had to remain strong so I could stay strong for others who needed me.
By Kylie
Alateen Talk, Spring 2017