Your kid life is in cruise control. You don’t actually realize it is, until the day your parents announce that they are going to get divorced. I was 14 years old. At least I think I was. It’s funny. I don’t really remember my age because I’m pretty sure I blocked it out, to some degree, to survive. What I do know is that I didn’t see it coming.

It felt lost and abandoned. Feeling more alone than an already only child could feel. What I knew, my foundation–crumbled. I had to restart. I turned to my teachers and friends, friends who became more like family; those with a sound moral compass. They were grounded, confident, the opposite of how I felt and I admired them. I turned towards them and their guidance and turned away from my parents. It took me many years to restart and get back to a good place with my parents. It’ll always be a struggle for me. But I am thankful for what I have.

I’m most thankful to know that my kids won’t be in the bumper to bumper divorce traffic. They won’t live out of a suitcase, unless we are going on a vacation. I’ll keep them in cruise control.