Shona Kay
Today, Shona is known for her work in movies and modeling. When looking back on her life, the hardships she faced never seemed that way. She knew no other life than the one she had. Neglect, abuse, and abandonment were the norm. A loving child who felt deeply was forgotten and in her place was someone who held contempt, losing what was her true core. It was easier to cope by blocking emotions than to feel when you are your own support system. She built an armor around herself, helping her feel strong on the outside but ignoring the sensibility she held inside. She found herself in a constant cycle of fight, flight, or freeze. However, this did not stop her from functioning in life. Shona pushed forward, putting all her efforts into modeling. Well, mainly because it meant not having to go to school, but modeling was a way to express her creativity, which she enjoyed and loved to do. Shona excelled and became the top model at her agency. Life did not stop giving her hurdles, though, and during this time, she soon found herself homeless for the first time in her life. The physical abuse was gone from her father's abandonment, yet so was her home.
Her armor kept her going, and to others, she was strong and resilient. It was easy to face these hurdles. She had been here before. Suppressing her emotions let her keep going, and she now was 19 and married for the first time. A relationship that became unhealthy, Shona once more was homeless, living out of her car. Putting space between the toxicity in her life.
The coping mechanism she had adopted could only get her so far. Shona's body began to tell her something was wrong. She developed an autoimmune disease, and the left side of her body showed the metaphorical cracks in her armor. There was no way she could go on through this life suppressing her emotions. She needed to feel her emotions and hardships so that she could finally heal.
Now, Shona is able to see how stagnant her life has been, not allowing herself to process her emotions. It is okay to be angry and feel that anger. If it meant having to punch a wall to let those emotions out, it was better than holding them in. With the strong support system she has in her husband and children, Shona has finally made peace with her loving self that was always there. All the love she had to give can be felt. Although there are scars that show the battle she faced, she embraces it as a reminder of how far she has come.
