Most people that meet her see a strong person, capable of overcoming anything

Most people that meet her see a strong person, capable of overcoming anything..

They'll never realize the price she had to pay to become the person that she is.

She started off much differently- bright eyed and hopeful, she charged into the world with her heart on her sleeve and light in her eyes..

But life tried to take all that away from her, it did everything it could to bring her to her knees.

What the world didn't know was that behind the thoughtful eyes and dreamer spirit was a fighter- a brave soul that wouldn't accept defeat and refused to let hardship tear her apart.

While she still made bad choices and suffered crushing heartbreak, she never pitied herself or wallowed in her failures.

She was better than that, for she knew the challenges that lie in front of her and refused to let life bring her down.

Maybe she wasn't ready for the fire that scorched her soul, perhaps she didn't know how hard her journey would become- loss and pain can destroy some..but not her.

She had promised herself from the very beginning never to lose sight of the things and people that mattered to her.

She managed to balance her outward toughness with a sensitive and loving heart in a world that doesn't easily let you be both.

That doesn't mean she didn't struggle with hard days or get down on herself, for there were days that she had to dig deep and claw her way through to the end..but she never kept going.

Maybe she got frustrated a time or two, perhaps she cried a little when she felt overwhelmed sometimes, but you'd never be able to tell..

For her beautifully placid eyes were the symbol of who she was and the hardy spirit that pushed her to keep getting up and looking up.

So, when the fires of life raged around her, she didn't just keep walking through the flames...she became the fire.

When everyone else quit, she found a way to keep going and rising above- for she didn't know how to quit or accept failure.

She was the unusual blend of a beautiful soul that had both claws to dig herself out of the harshest battles and wings to fly high to chase her dreams.

She wasn't just a woman, she was a fighter with an unrelenting vision to become everything she ever wanted to be..

And so that's the path she chose, rain or shine, and she just kept showing up, stepping up and rising again.

One moment, one day and one dream at a time..

She kept believing and evolving.

Beautiful, strong and free.