Before everything that would later redefine my life, I was simply a young woman with a future ahead of me.
Like many, I had dreams, expectations, and a sense of direction that felt steady at the time. There was a level of innocence in how I viewed the world, in how I trusted people, and in how I believed life would unfold. I did not yet understand how quickly circumstances can change or how deeply certain experiences can reshape a person.
My early life represents the version of me that existed before survival became something I had to learn. It is important to acknowledge this part of my story because it reminds me that I was not always defined by hardship. I was someone with light, ambition, and hope, and those parts of me never truly disappeared, even in the darkest moments.