Kelli’s childhood was filled with what she described as quiet trauma. She wasn’t abused, nor did she find herself on death’s door at any point, but her upbringing was less than ideal. When she was three her little brother was born with a chronic illness that he was not expected to survive. The good news is he’s in his 40s and has grown up to be a proper smart-ass, but the bad news is that her family’s priorities shifted with his arrival. They had to for his sake, but it was at the expense of her childhood. 

I hope this doesn’t read as if Kelli came on to tell a sob story filled with resentment. She didn’t. The story she told was that of parents who were thrown a curveball, and they adjusted the best they could. 

The most impressive part of Kelli’s story is how much effort she has put into making her life what she wants it to be. She’s looked everywhere to fit in and find acceptance, and when one thing didn’t work, she moved on to the next until she found the right path.