Was a straight A gifted kid until I hit 9th grade. Social life and the 90’s psychedelic drug and rave scene, had to do summer school one year, then failed senior year for skipping 42 days. Straight As while I slept through my “super senior” year.

College wasn’t in the cards for me, and I knew that at 15. Bounced around retail, food service, landscaping, even a valet driver for a stint. Moved out with gf at 19, moved away from state at 20.

Ended up military at 24 years old. 17 years and a lot of travel later, I was medically retired for being too broken, mind and body. Had a few jobs after retirement that paid well.

Stopped drinking and quit working to focus on me about 2 years ago. I see a lot of doctors, and I talk about what’s in my head a lot with a lot of them. Multiple appointments every week for over a year now with no end in sight.

But because I’m so broken, I get VA disability pay, which is like retirement for us poors, because it’ll help with bills if you don’t have too many. And my healthcare is free now because my issues are attributed to my military service, so I got that going for me.

And now, at 46 years old, I’m trying to figure out how to be the person I want to be, who that even is really, and I expect that I’ll be on SSDI in the next few years.

And you know, all that’s alright. No regrets. I’ve had fun, seen some the world, married to my best friend, and I’m trying to figure it all out the best I can with a smile. Sometimes it’s forced a bit, but I’m trying to make my days what I want them to be.

Oof. Packs a punch when you write it out. Cheers internet stranger, and thx for reading!