I think I missed a lot of Erik Erikson's developmental stages based on the descriptions of age as mistrust vs trust. It's up to me to trust someone to a certain extent, I would always think about the things they could do to hurt me. Like many teenagers and young adults, I too struggle with my identity. I often wondered who I was, how I fit in, and how my peers would like me. Erikson's steps and explanations gave me possible reasoning for some of the situations I might face and how I can counteract them. Sigmund Freud also had an impact in understanding the emotional problems faced as a child and the aggression presented towards my mother. Oh, God, I wrote in the journals about how she was so mean and how I wish she would do things differently. Although she was my only constant caregiver at the time, I just wanted to be close to my father. Bottom line, you can't change what happens in life, I just want to be aware of my mistakes, so as not to repeat them. I tell my students to make sure that every choice you make today will be the decision you will be okay with tomorrow. Life isn't perfect, so I'm learning not to freak out about situations I can't control. I listen to gospel music for comfort, I pray and thank God for helping me get through this. I also reflect on my favorite poem, Footprints in the Sand. The poetry of Mary Stevenson