Today I am thankful

I am thankful. I feel overwhelmed at all my blessings surrounding me. I have an amazing husband, healthy and obedient kids, a home to live in, friends and family...and that's barely scratching the surface.
Today, I am thankful for my past. Sounds crazy because I hated my early years. There was so much pain and confusion growing up and I, knowing nothing different, thought life was completely normal. I cringe stating 'normal'...but I just thought that everyone's family was like mine. It appears my eyes have been opened after I moved out and got a sense with how other families function. My life was filled with unmet promises, unannounced and unwelcomed pain and never having a voice...ever. This is something I never would wish upon my worst enemy. Never feeling 'like home' and where peace was only a 5 letter word.
I could be terribly bitter and continue this painful cycle...but I chose to stop it...along with my siblings.
I am not trying to make anyone look bad, feel belittled or to get sympathy. It is was it is. It is forgiven but not forgotten.
But today I am thankful for it.
After years of asking God for healing and understanding, He has allowed me to take this past history as a lesson learned. It didn't happen in vain because now I have the ability to understand other people's pain through the pain I experienced. If my life was easy and comfortable, I cannot possibly think that I could feel other's pain, walk through hard stuff with others the way I do now.
I am thankful that God has given me a heart of compassion, a willingness to stand beside a hurt friend and a heart to pray that my past will be turned into something beautiful.
My brother gave me a quote "The way I conduct myself, greatly influences the people who choose to walk beside me in life." I love that.
It made me think and be thankful.