a very long journey

I struggled with whether or not to do this.

I'm not trying to be selfish.
I'm not trying to be a martyr.
I'm not trying to be a hero.

I just want to be honest.
I want to acknowledge what happened.
I want to move on, not by forgetting but by talking about it.

As I and my friends and family members are growing up, having relationships and families of our own, I feel like it's up to us to be able to carry this knowledge to keep each other safe. And even if we can't always prevent bad things from happening, I don't want there to be another person who will feel like they have to be silent just to protect themselves and others they love.

It's been a long journey. A very long journey.

It's in no way over.

I'm just barely breaking the surface.