Golf Clubs

Hello all who read this!
Last week as I drove home from Chipotle with one of my girls, she began to unpack her anger from the past week. She had almost gotten into a fight at school because some girl was calling her racist names. Valorie was not going to take that from her, and so she stood up for herself. She (at first) politely asked her to stop. When the girl didn't, Valorie got a bit more aggressive and started yelling at this girl.
Long story short, they both ended up in the office! After Valorie explained to the counselor what had happened, she was released to go back to class.
She was telling me this in the car, and she said, "That girl just doesn't understand." I asked her what she didn't understand. She replied with, "That girl does not even know me, or my past, or what I've gone through. I remember a time where my mom was so high on drugs and living with her boyfriend, that she left me and my siblings to fend for ourselves for 9 months. Sure she came back to check on us when she wasn't so high that she forgot about us, but for the most part, we were on our own. So you're darn right that girl doesn't understand!
She has no idea what it's like to look at your 2 year old sister crying because she's hungry. She has no idea what it was like when my brother and I broke into a building and smashed in the vending machines with our dads golf clubs to get food for her. She just has no idea."
As usual I am speechless. These kids amaze me every day in the things they have survived. When I was in fourth grade, I was in girl scouts, softball and sunday school. I totally understand her instinct to fight. She has had to fight for her life since she was born. Currently her mom is sober from drugs and is trying very hard to patch up their relationship. Valorie speaks so highly of her mother for coming back and making an effort. I am simply amazed that she even has the strength to get up in the morning, let alone forgive those who have wronged her.
Praise God for this little girl (who is 18 now), Praise God for those golf clubs, and praise God for her learning to forgive!