It’s taken me a few tries to finally write this article because it’s difficult for me to come up with the right words. Divorce is painful. We all know that. If people don’t know that firsthand, they know it through something else, whether it be through media or closer relations.

When I was a senior in high school, my parents went through a divorce. It was hard at the time (that is a given), but some people don’t know the true feelings from being in a firsthand situation.

I’ll let you know briefly how it was: it hurt, there were tears, and it’s very hard to understand.

But today, with it being several years after it happened, know that I’ve become very content and happy with how my family is how their emotions have played out.

I’ll share my story with you all, but I share this to benefit the people who known this struggle but have not accepted it in their lives. Maybe when you see my story, you’ll know how to gain some closure.

Please know that I truly do understand what divorce is like. I know now that high school isn’t as stressful as I once knew it to be, but when something as impactful as divorce happens, it feels like an “emotional block up” of sorts or a heavy weight and makes everyday surroundings harder.

I found myself being constantly angry, only because I didn’t understand. Yeah, I know now that I wasn’t supposed to understand, and that it would take me a while to fully accept it. I did accept it, and I have closure, and maybe my experiences (or I like to refer to it as “the good things” of divorce) will help to provide closure to people who haven’t accepted their own divorce experiences.

Firstly, I get a chance to see more of the world. My dad now lives in Pennsylvania, and I get to see a very mountainous region when I get to visit, compared to the flat lands of Mississippi. It’s become a blessing really, and because of my getting to visit my father, I’ve found a potential career choice around where he is.

Secondly, I got a chance to meet new parental figures in my life. My mother got remarried, and my father has a new girlfriend. Like any child of divorce, it was awkward at first. I was standoffish, and I didn’t know exactly how to respond. With this, time honestly heals the heart. I became open to the idea of accepting these people into my life, and I’m blessed to have done so because they have positively affected me tremendously.

Something I am proud of is gaining another sibling. I’ve already written my article about the adorable Henry, but I simply can’t say it enough. Without the divorce, I wouldn’t know him.

And probably the best part is this: my parents are happy. Joy can come from this.

I would never wish divorce. But there are good things that can come from that darkness, even if it takes a while.