When I was 18 my mom died of liver disease and I didn’t think I would ever be able to fully live again. Convinced life was over I spiraled into a deep depression that involved abuse, running away and almost throwing my entire life down the drain. Lucky for me my depression didn’t last very long and only left few scars that have since healed.
I will never forget the day of my 22nd birthday when I sat in the daunting waiting room sick, but eager to begin my road to recovery. It wasn’t easy at first, but eventually I learned to cope with death and rebuild the life I wanted. I did this not by believing I was powerless, but by encouraging myself to explore the world instead of living in the past. This exploration made me hunger for learning, doing and seeing more. Suddenly, I was alive again.
Five years later and I can honestly say things have really turned around. I went back to school, found a field of work that I enjoy, reconnected with creativity and fell in love with the most amazing man in the world (after eliminating a few bad ones of course). While my relationship with my family may never be what I want it to be, we now understand each other better than ever before. I am sincerely grateful for where I am now and wouldn’t change my past for the world. If my mom is indeed looking down on me somewhere in the stars I think she would be very proud of the progress I have made.
Now, just as I did back when I was 22 I am beginning life all over again. This time, instead of confronting a depression I am starting new in Brazil, the country where my partner was raised. This is just one stop in our journey together. We like to travel and hope to call other countries home too. With this blog I am excited to share with you my experiences and challenges. The journey begins in December 2014. Follow the site to watch how it all unfolds beginning with my last adventures in the US!
Stephen J. Grant 