When I look at this photo, I’m reminded that courage begins long before we learn its name.

As a child, I didn’t always understand the world, but somewhere deep inside I knew one truth: I deserved love, kindness, and respect. My value was never measured by what I lacked, but by what overflowed within me — resilience, tenderness, and quiet hope.

Each challenge became a lesson, each tear a seed of strength. And with every small step, I learned to stand tall in a world that doesn’t always see gently. Today, I carry that child within me — brave, worthy, unbroken — a reminder that true strength starts in the heart long before it appears in our hands.