More than Broken

I remember in college reading about a study done by a psychologist with hundreds of sets of identical twins. He was most fascinated by a set of twin brothers. One had gone to medical school, had a family, and a beautiful wife. The other had been in and out of prison, on drugs, and held no job.

In separate interviews he asked them a series of questions. All of the questions were the same. The last was, "Why are you the way that you are?" The inmate bore his soul as he shared. He said, "You know, when I was a little boy . . . my mom used to beat me and lock me in the closet. I have never really told anyone this. I knew right then and there that I was not worth anything. I knew in those moments that I never would be." 

Then it was the other brother's turn. When asked the same question his answer was powerful. He said, "I have never really told anyone this. . . But when I was a little boy, my mom used to beat me and lock me in the closet . . . And I knew right then and there that I was worth more than she was telling me I was. I knew in those moments that I was going to make something of myself because I deserved to be better than broken." 

We are all going to be given the chance at one point in our lives to be better than broken. We are not made up of the lies others have told us. The secrets do not have to change who we will become. Everyone deserves a reason to stand... Greater than we were before.