I'm 30. Just recently started living. The past few months have been a blur of excitement, happiness, sadness, jealousy, anger, frustration, fear, and basically every other emotion imaginable. I have been in shock multiple times; and I have experienced overwhelming euphoria too. Things are turning around, and it's slow, painful and scary as fuck, but they're turning around.

My friends aren't abusive.

My friends actually love and care about me.

I feel like I have a functional family (even if I still have to live with my bio family)

I feel like I have a home (even if I'm still stuck in my parents house)

I've also become aware of how lonely I am. How broken I am. How my parents did a great job of cratering any chance I had of being a functioning, successful person. How my parents terrible advice regarding dating and socializing meant I missed out on some of the best years of my life.

Yet, the thing that's been the most encouraging is that I haven't been told to leave all my baggage at the door. No, they (my friends) let me bring my baggage with me and start unpacking in front of them. I have never felt so supported and cared about, and while I wish they could do more, I wouldn't trade them for anyone. They're slowly teaching me how to be a person and it makes me so happy. I love them very much <3