Never forget how far you have come. Never. Sometimes in the dead of night, when your mind wanders, when your brain is working against you, try to remember; you are strong. I have dealt with my demons more times than I can count. I have been to therapy, I have spoken my fears aloud, and I have been kept awake at night reliving my nightmares in my head. I know that I have allowed myself to heal. I know that I am stronger now, and that I do not let the weight of the past eat me alive anymore. But even after I have forgiven my enemies, and even after I have forgiven myself, the nightmares still come back. Sometimes even the flashbacks return out of thin air. I am happier now, I am healthy; mentally and physically. But I can still hear his voice in my head. I can still remember what it felt like to be pinned to the floor. I can remember feeling sick to my stomach. Sometimes I still feel sick to my stomach.  I remember everything without wanting to. Even after I have healed and let everything go, I haven’t forgotten. Everyone tells you to forgive and forget. They say it like the two go hand in hand. But it isn’t that simple. Especially when it comes to this. Especially when it is attached to a severe wound. This is something I could probably never forget. Believe me I want to forget. I have moved on. But I cannot. What happened to me has shaped me in more ways than one. No matter how far I go in my life, that fact will always be there glaring at me from the corner. But I will not let it control me anymore. I have forgiven. So the only thing I can do is shut it out or talk about it until I am okay again. But never will I forget how far I have come. I will not let it anchor me down again. I am not a victim anymore, and I intend to keep it that way.