Marriage found me at just 19 years old. It was not my choice; my parents arranged it.
I was afraid at first, unsure how to love a man I did not choose.
But with time, love grew. We shared 23 years together, though 15 of those years were marked by illness. In 2000, my husband passed away.
We had three children of our own, and I adopted five more. Sadly, one died, and today I raise seven children.
I never remarried. My focus was my children and raising them properly. I chose commitment over starting again.
These days, people spend too much time trying to perfect themselves, yet marriages still fail.
In our time, parents chose for us, and we stayed committed.
I taught my children never to consider divorce. I raised my daughters to be respectful and my sons to be responsible.
Through hardship, love, respect, sacrifice, and perseverance, I built a strong and lasting home.