I have faced two serious illnesses: acute dehydration and tuberculosis. Both times, I was alone, without resources, without a safety net.
Both times, I survived — and I still can’t fully explain why. A neighbor helped during the first crisis. During the second, something inside me simply refused to stop.
What those experiences gave me: immense willpower. A tolerance for uncertainty that I could not have built any other way. A bone-deep knowledge that difficulty does not mean the end.
There are lessons that cannot be taught in classrooms or books. Some understanding only arrives through suffering. I don’t recommend seeking it out — but I’m grateful for what mine gave me.