ESPECIAL MESSAGE! Blessings Upon Her: A Tribute to the Survivors Grieving Their Lost Childhood

Blessings 

For every woman who carries the weight of invisible burdens, for every survivor who mourns the childhood they never had, this is for you. Blessings upon you—the daughters, sisters, and women who have endured trauma, fought silent battles, and still found a way to keep going. This is a tribute to your strength, your resilience, and your healing.

Blessings Upon the Daughter Who Helped Her Parents Grow In Many Ways 

To the daughter who was forced to grow up too soon, blessings upon you. You became the caretaker when it wasn’t your role to fill. You absorbed their main ululations, their narcissistic tendencies, their neglect, and excused their negative behaviors, and taught them how to be somewhat civilized—all while grieving the childhood you deserved but never received. You carried their burdens while quietly longing for the safety and love that should have been yours to begin with. Blessings upon you for surviving what no child should endure.

Blessings Upon the Sister Who Paid the Price of Rebellion And Labeled The Black Sheep 

To the sister who stood tall against injustice in your fight against oppression, you lost pieces of yourself—pieces that should have been filled with joy and innocence. Blessings upon you as you grieve those lost moments and reclaim your voice.

Blessings Upon the Little Girl Who Shouldered Her Mother and Father's Emotional Trauma 

To the little girl who became her parents emotional anchor, blessings upon you. You inherited wounds that weren’t yours to carry—trauma passed down through generations—and made them your own because you didn't know better.

You changed yourself projecting  their pain, immersing yourself in struggles that didn’t belong to you. In doing so, you lost sight of who you were meant to be. Blessings upon you as you grieve the innocence stolen by burdens too heavy for a child’s shoulders.

Blessings Upon the Woman Who Forgot Herself

To the woman who gave everything to save others, blessings upon you. In your determination to fix your family and nurture everyone around you, you forgot how to nurture yourself because you thought you weren't worth it. 

You poured all of your love into others without leaving any for yourself—until there was nothing left but exhaustion and emptiness. Blessings upon you as you grieve the years spent putting others first and rediscover who you are beneath it all.

Grieving a Lost Childhood: A Journey Toward Healing

Survivors of trauma often find themselves mourning not just what happened but also what didn’t—the safety, joy, and innocence that should have defined their early years. Grieving a lost childhood is a deeply personal process that requires courage and self-compassion.

Acknowledging the Loss

The first step in healing is recognizing what was taken from you. It’s okay to feel sadness or anger about what could have been—it’s part of honoring your experiences.

Seeking Support

You don’t have to grieve alone. Whether through therapy, support groups, or trusted loved ones, sharing your story can help lighten the burden.

Reclaiming Your Narrative

Healing isn’t about erasing the past—it’s about reclaiming it on your terms. Through self-care practices like mindfulness, creativity, or simply allowing yourself rest, you can begin to rebuild a life that centers you.

A Final Word: Blessings Upon All Survivors

To every woman grieving her lost childhood while carrying invisible burdens with grace: blessings upon you. Your strength is not in pretending everything is fine but in acknowledging your pain and choosing to heal anyway. You are not defined by what happened to you but by how fiercely you fight for yourself now.

May this be a reminder that it’s never too late to reclaim joy, rediscover yourself, and build a future filled with love—starting with love for yourself. Blessings upon you—always.

Chaplain 

Vivionne Keli