I could say that my life was changed in pre-school

but that would be my mother's story.

I could say that my life was changed in middle school

but that is typical.

My life changed when I realized that my life was not the life I thought I had.

When I realized my brother and I 

 witnessed my mother being abused,

when I saw my mother

try to kill herself, and

 when I realized my mother had a personality disorder.

When I realized I thought I was fat

 from dance in elementary school,

 puberty in middle school, and

the stresses from high school.

When I realized I was trying to kill myself freshman year

and creating new life my junior year.

My life changed when I refused to let these things define me.

When I refused to fall prey to my eating disorder,

to be another ordinary pregnant teen,

and to let these things hold me back.