Title: Peacemaker

Gender: Female

Age: 20

Sun Sign: Pisces

Chinese Sign: Earth Dragon

Location: Tampa, Florida

How does one properly define themselves? is it possible to do so objectively?

I am what my screenname says I am: a peacemaker. I grew up in a BIG family, me being the youngest of 9 kids -of my 8 siblings, 7 of them were half brothers and sisters from previous marriages, but i consider them full siblings regardless. You'd think that the middle child would be the peacemaker, always between sides, but really it was me. I was the one everyone talked to, i was the one who wanted to listen and learn, i was the one who somehow knew what to say. I pride myself on my empathy and my eternal optimism, so i suppose i can chalk it up to that.
When i was 7, one of my brothers molested me. Too afraid to do anything, what i most regret about that incident is that i lost my voice for a long time; i fear that sometimes i still dont use it enough today. I was also physically and verbally abused by one of my sisters. That was the one time that it was smarter for me not to speak up, but i hated myself for it everytime. When i was a month shy of 12, my father killed my mother. To make matters worse, after the incident, only 3 of my siblings wanted to help me, the others -much older than me, and with lives already established- wanted to put me up for adoption so they wouldn;t have to deal with me. I held so much confusion, spite, and sadness after that, but i told myself to be strong, and put on a happy face so no one would pity me. But…all of that is behind me. After my mother died, i looked to God, and opened up a spiritual side of me that had long wanted to be out. I let go of all the hate and anger and became a better person. I learned that i must forgive to be forgiven, and so i forgave my family. I continued to work hard in school, and soon found my passion in my junior year of high school when i took my first psychology class. Also in high school i really got into community service, which solidified the fact that i loved helping people.
Now i am in college studying to be a child psychologist to help kids like me. My friends and I started our college (USF! GO BULLS!) chapter of Habitat for Humanity and we continue to do activities with other service groups like ArtWrite, Metropolitan Ministries (which has been amazingly cooperative and kind to us), Big Brothers & Big Sisters, and the list keeps growing!
 I hope that everyone will look inside themselves and nourish their spirit and mind (they don't like hate by the way…they like peace and love). My friends and i also started an activist organization seeking to change school policies to better feed the needs of students, especially dealing with issues of equality (as a bisexual hispanic woman, i am particularly adamant about equality for all). I have lived my life on understanding and optimism, believing the creed of Humanistic Psychology (and it's fabulous member, Viktor Frankl) that all people are innately and fundamentally good.

Member Since: Sunday, November 05 2006

Last Visit: 343 days ago.

Profile Viewed: 1303 times (last viewed less than a minute ago)