You are not forgotten.
Hey, Friend,
I want to take a moment to talk to those of you who have felt alone in your journey—those who have been through trauma and wondered, "Where is my community? Where is the support I need?" If you’ve felt like no one has been there for you, I want you to know that you are not forgotten. Every single day you’ve survived, you’ve gained a strength you might not have known you had. Even if it feels like you’ve faced your hardest moments in silence, your survival is proof of the strength that lives within you.
Today, we are going to walk through Whitney Houston’s song, "I Didn’t Know My Own Strength." This song speaks directly to the heart of what it means to go through struggles and come out the other side, sometimes without even realizing how you made it. You’ve survived in ways that might not have been visible to others, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t real.
As we go through this song together, I invite you to think about your own story—to reflect on the strength you’ve shown, even on the days when you didn’t think you had any left. You are supported, even if it’s in ways you haven’t fully seen. You’ve survived because of the resilience that lives inside you, and it’s okay if that’s taken time to recognize.
Let’s walk through this journey together, one lyric at a time.
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"I Didn’t Know My Own Strength" by Whitney Houston
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> "Lost touch with my soul,
I had nowhere to turn,
I had nowhere to go."
Reflection:
When you’ve experienced trauma, it can feel like you’ve lost yourself—like the part of you that felt whole and hopeful has disappeared. Have you ever felt like you had nowhere to turn? Sometimes, the hardest part is feeling like there’s no way out of the darkness. But look at where you are now. Even though you may have felt completely lost, you’re still here. That’s a sign of your strength, whether you see it or not.
Prompt:
Think back to a time when you felt like you had nowhere to go. What helped you survive that moment?
What small steps can you take today to reconnect with your soul, even if you feel lost?
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> "I thought I'd never make it through,
I had no hope to hold on to."
Reflection:
Hope can feel like a distant memory during your hardest days. When you’ve felt like giving up, it’s easy to believe that there’s nothing left to hold on to. But the fact that you are still here means that even when you couldn’t see hope, you found something within yourself to keep going. That’s resilience, and it’s been with you the whole time.
Prompt:
What does hope look like for you today, even in the smallest sense?
Have you ever made it through something you thought would break you? How does that change the way you see your current struggles?
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> "I didn't know my own strength,
And I crashed down, and I tumbled,
But I did not crumble."
Reflection:
Falling apart doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Crashing down doesn’t mean you’re weak—it means you’re human. The power of these lyrics lies in the fact that even though you tumbled, you didn’t crumble. You’ve felt broken, but you’re still standing. That strength is in you, even when you don’t realize it. You are more resilient than you know.
Prompt:
When was the last time you felt like you “crashed down” but didn’t crumble?
How can you remind yourself of your strength the next time you feel like you’re falling apart?
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> "I got through all the pain,
I didn’t know my own strength."
Reflection:
Pain can make you feel like it’s impossible to move forward, but you’ve made it through so much more than you give yourself credit for. You survived, even when you didn’t think you could. Every time you faced the pain, you proved your strength, even if you didn’t recognize it in the moment.
Prompt:
What pain have you gotten through that felt impossible at the time?
How can you honor yourself today for the strength it took to survive those moments?
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> "I was not built to break,
I got to know my own strength."
Reflection:
This line is a powerful reminder that you are not fragile, you are strong. Even though trauma has tested you, it has not broken you. You were not built to break, and now you are learning the truth of your own resilience. There is strength in surviving, and there is even greater strength in learning to recognize it.
Prompt:
What does it mean to you to realize that you were not built to break?
How can you carry this knowledge into your future, knowing that you have the strength to survive whatever comes your way?
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Closing Thoughts:
As you reflect on these lyrics, I hope you can start to see your own story in a new light. You are stronger than you realize, and even on the days when you feel most alone, your survival is proof that you have a strength you didn’t know you had. It’s okay if it’s taken time to see this. It’s okay if you still feel unsure. You are here, and that is enough.
Remember, you don’t have to go through this journey alone. There is a community of survivors who understand what you’re feeling, and even if you don’t see them yet, they are walking this path with you. And most importantly, you are walking this path with yourself—the strongest person you know.
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With compassion,
Kathe'rine, Founder of Sparrows of Hope