10 Years Ago

10 Years ago it was 1998.

10 Years ago I had been married for 4 years.

10 Years ago I was married to a man that emotionally/mentally abused me.

10 Years ago I was married to a man that liked to force me to do things … then laugh about it when I got angry.

10 Years ago I was married to a man that loved to make me cry for no reason.

10 Years ago I was married to a man that said everything was my fault … and I believed him.

10 Years ago I was working very hard to pay bills he had no intention to pay.

10 Years ago I was married to a man that destroyed my credit rating and my self esteem.

10 Years ago I had no clue where we would be living the next week/month/year.

10 Years ago I thought I was living the best life that life had to offer, even though it was lacking.

10 Years ago I never would have thought I would leave my then husband (I left 2.5 years later).

10 Years ago I never thought I would move 800 miles away from the only home I have known.

10 Years ago I never dreamed I would have the strength of spirit to make a life so far away from friends and family.

10 Years ago I never dreamed that I would take such a great risk…and have it pay off.

10 Years ago I never thought I would go back to school and get a degree.

10 Years ago I never thought I would get married again.

10 Years ago I never dreamed I would have one child and one on the way.

10 Years ago I never thought I would be married to a man that didn’t habitually lie to me.

10 Years ago I never imagined I would be married to a man that put my needs and happiness up there with his own needs and happiness.

10 Years ago I never thought that even though we have ups and downs, that I would love my now husband as much or more than when I married him.

I guess I have come a long way in 10 years.