Sarah’s Story
After my dad passed when I was two years old, my mom didn’t really want me. I moved in with my aunt and she was pretty unstable.
From there, I just went from house to house and suffered from both physical and sexual abuse by my family members. Finally, when I was 15, my mom promised she was going to stop drinking and get us a house. That only lasted for about 6 months until she met someone. She decided she didn’t want me again so she kicked me out...and it happened to also be the day I lost my baby. So I was in and out of shelters, foster care, safe houses...it’s nothing new to me.
It’s been really hard. I’ve basically lived in Minnesota my whole life but I’ve felt like a stranger among my family. I moved out at 15 and got my own place at 16. I was used for money and was discarded when they were done.
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced getting out of homelessness is the legal system. Legally I can’t go out of state, or some things I can’t apply for because my mom is still my guardian. My mom has never really been stable for me, I was like a mother to her.
Another challenge I’ve had to face is financing. You never really know how expensive life is until you live on your own. I had jobs and I’ve made enough to make ends meet, but not enough to take care of myself. I’ve been able to get dish soap and food and laundry detergent, but have not made enough for self-care like hair products or clothing or even a gym membership.
And now that I have a job at Wildflyer, I’ll be able to afford those things. And that’s what I really appreciate and am excited about. Not to mention, I love my job. This is the most comfortable and most happy I’ve been at a job, and even in life. It’s really a lot to think about how far I’ve come.
I only started at Wildflyer a month ago but this is the most stable I’ve ever been. I’m so glad I’ve gotten to the point where I can take care of myself because it was never really done for me. But now I’m able to make sure I’m eating every day, make sure my hair is done, make sure my hygiene is good, make sure my mental health is good, and I don’t have to deal with any of the toxicity of living with my family members.
I’ve gone from hating myself and family trauma to being over six months clean now. To go from that to finally having a stable life, to actually being able to wake up in the morning and be thankful, to wake up in the morning and not cry, not be in pain, and just be happy to be alive, I don’t take that for granted.
There’s still a lot of things I’m uncovering and plan to work on. But I’m just happy I’m at a space where I don’t have to wake up and wonder where my next meal is coming from, or where I’m going to sleep tonight, or when is the next time I’ll be able to wash my clothes.