I didn’t realise how long I had endured. Thirty-five years—half my life. For so long, survival became normal. Today I feel calm, serene, and at peace. I’m returning to the person I used to be, where not everything feels like a problem and life feels good again. The past has shaped me, but it no longer defines me. There are still so many good years ahead, and for the first time in a very long time, I look towards the future with hope rather than fear.