Once upon a time about 17 years ago there was a beautiful baby girl born 2 days late. Her parents named her Kylie. They loved and adored her even though as a baby she was very intense. They were both careful to spoil her and would do anything to get her to sleep...even take her on long car rides. To their dismay though, she would wake up the minute the car stopped moving and would often cry for long periods of time. But nevertheless they loved and adored her. As the baby got older she continued to be an intense little toddler and girl. Her parents soon learned that one of her greatest talents was that of being very strong willed. Even as a baby when she was learning to crawl she would drag and pull her body wherever she wanted to go as she had not yet learned to scoot on her knees.
It wasn't long before she learned to walk (aka run) and loved to play the game of running away from her parents. Especially if she was doing something naughty. She loved to play this game with Grandma too!
She was a fast little girl and she was also a smart little girl. She recognized letters and read at an early age. As she developed through grade school her strong willed temper coupled with her intelligence brought both happiness and sorrow for her parents.
She wanted to be a veterinarian at a young age and her parents thought she would be so good at it because she loved animals and she was smart so they knew she could finish school and become whatever she wanted to be. She was a sensitive girl and felt sympathy for others especially if it included animals. Her parents saw lots of promise in her and her future. They dreamed of college education and a temple marriage...even a marriage to a functional guy would have been an ok dream!
As she grew a more deceptive part of her personality began to come out. She needed and liked attention and would get that however she could whether positively or negatively. She would often shed herself in good light to impress others and it was hard for her to see or accept responsibility when others knew she was lying to them. But she was smart. Really smart. So her parents continued to dream.
As time went on and other life circumstances took place she internalized much of what was going on around her. She did not know how to share or understand her sadness or feelings. Then something traumatic happened to her that changed her completely and she needed lots of validation and the only way to get that was through cutting and bleeding. She developed other coping skills too like smoking, drinking, sex and her need for attention from the opposite sex became a survival tool in her life. The more these coping skills took over her life the more she needed validation from a boy. It didn't matter what kind of boy...actually it did...it had to be a boy that would understand her completely. A well-mannered and groomed boy would not do the trick...she tried it but it just didn't work for her. This was a special kind of boy she chose. It would have to be someone she could control and manipulate just enough yet he would need to love and adore her for all her faults and good qualities too. Her parents began to question their dream for her and slowly began realizing what potential they saw in her might be slowly suffocating.
Her intelligence and book smarts soon would take a back seat to all of her negative coping skills. Reality and judgement had no place in her life. Personal responsibility for choices was next to non-existent. There was no room for rules in her life. Only her rules. Those around her would watch her go down a long and fast slide to nowhere.
Many of those she grew up with would go on to live fully functioning lives. And it was painful for her parents to watch. It was painful to watch her classmates graduate from school, attend the prom, excel in their talents, and gain testimonies of what would work in their lives and what wouldn't. It was painful to watch other teens make mistakes and learn from them. What was wrong with their daughter that she could not gain this concept?
Others her age are now preparing for their Senior year of high school. This includes senior projects, group dates, driving, dancing, even parties. It would include having fun. Taking a chance to be a little carefree and happy.
Not Kylie. Her fun is supporting her boyfriend in a trailer and working KFC. Her carefree and happy is worrying about if her boyfriend is going to jail again. Oh she's happy...posting pictures of her and David and their cat Maverick. Her little "family". And I just know her parents are sitting at home praying she will see the light at some point. Worrying...wondering if this is the life she will live the rest of her time on earth. Family...huh...once upon a time. Once upon a time and happily ever after...hardly seems like either of them ever existed.
