[TheDragon]

This is one of the most brave, honest, and inspirational videos you will ever see, and I'm positive that regardless of who you are, or what you're dealing with, you can take something away from this.

"Recovery does not mean relief. It means that you get to deal with life on life's terms. It means you get to experience sadness and anger and loneliness and fear, and you get to look it in the eye and make a choice."

[Open Eyes]

You're right Dragon alot can be taken from this. What resonated with me the most is how she talked about "why" alot of teens end up acting out like she did. She's right, our educational system, even how many parents raise their children, tends to "take control" away. And most human beings are not really designed to do that.

I raised my daughter always with the goal of "her" learning and "not me hovering".
Even when she was an infant and could not even roll over yet, I used to lay her on her back and I had this thing called "play gym" hanging above her and I made the things twirl so she could see them, I knew she had discovered her hands so I took her hand to show her should reach it, and then I left her alone with it. Well, she definitely discovered it with her hands and was really busy and excited at what "she" could do with that thing in the air above her.

We are designed to "discover" ourselves and when that is taken away, we really "miss" something very "important'.

If we really think about it, well, many of the greats were "self taught". They learned "how to learn" and sometimes learned a trade, but often went in their "own direction" with a "sense of control" and their lives were more about "discovery" then lives are now. There is such a long list of "entepreneurs" that left their mark on the world and they were all people that were on a journey of "discovery" and actually used their minds alot differently then we do now.

The more people are "controlled" the more they will "rebel", we do know that, and yet we still still keep designing ways to "control" our societies. While "laws" are important, so is freedom, and the way we have been educating our children is not "freedom" because "they have to make the grade or else" and they have to pass certain subjects that they may not be really designed to do well in for some reason.
I hear so many of our young at 19 and 20's even devastated because they haven't figured out a life plan. Well, if they had been given "more control" early on, they would be more balanced and not so afraid of " taking control" at long last.

I remember people telling me that I spent too much money on my daughter's riding.
Well, she happened to gravitate to it, and it was one thing she could do where "she" had to take control. She really liked "having control", most kids do, and she liked it so much she worked before she was sixteen, just so she could earn some money so she could afford to ride more. I never even had to tell her to work, it was all her idea.

So what "really" did hit home with me about this young girl, was when she talked about "how she wanted a way to have some "control". Unfortunately, that path for her was drug use at first and that is something that happens alot.

Well, that is what I felt was important to point out. Thanks for sharing Dragon.

[Lillyleaf]

Favorite quote:

"I think that life is such a beautiful thing. I don't think I wasted any time, in anything that your doing.... all things happen for a reason and I want everyone to know that you are not a victim any longer and you can do anything your heart desire."

[Dante'sStoker]

Catherine loved her parents. Without that love, I wonder if her story would be the same?

[TheDragon]

Originally Posted by Dante'sStoker

Catherine loved her parents. Without that love, I wonder if her story would be the same?

I believe so, yes. I know Catherine personally, and she is an amazing person by any stretch of the imagination. Although I'm positive that her love for her parents played a big role in helping her, I believe she is the kind of person who would make it regardless.

And even if not, she's not the only person to make a recovery like that, with or without parents.