My name is Ryder, and I recently turned 18. I’d imagined my birthday would be a milestone—something special. Instead, it turned into one of the hardest days of my life. But strangely enough, it also taught me something I’ll never forget.
Let me take you back for a moment.
My life was fairly normal until I was seven. That’s when things started to change. My parents began arguing—a lot. I didn’t understand what was going on, but I could feel the tension. A year later, they divorced.
I remember sitting with my mom as she gently explained, “Your dad won’t be living with us anymore, but it’s not your fault, Ryder.”
I asked, “Did I do something wrong?”
Her eyes filled with tears. “No, sweetie. Sometimes grown-ups just can’t make things work.”
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