I learned a lot about my childhood after I left home. Looking from the outside made things a lot clearer.

• I did not realize I lived in the ghetto until I had left it.

• I did not realize how poor my family was until people reacted to finding out we ate peanut butter and mayo sandwiches to stretch food at times.

• I did not realize how neglectful my parents were until I started exploring where my issues came from.

• I did not realize how abusive my father was until I remembered several times I, as a child, would cry for him to stop hitting me.

• I did not realize how traumatic my childhood actually was until I realized that most people in America aren't orphaned as teenagers and live lives of abuse, neglect, and poverty before that.

So I never really appreciated the fact that I wasn't likely to go very far in life. Still did anyway, cus fuck em.