We are all a little broken.

Someone very wise in my life once said to me, "We are all a little broken." This has always stuck with me and rung true to me every day since.

It helps me be kinder to others because I know that everyone has their cross to bear, whether it is visible or not. It also reminds me that it is ok that I, too, have vulnerabilities and have experienced pain. That it is ok to not be perfect and be a little broken--or even a lot.

Some of us are very visibly broken. Happenings in our life have caused giant cracks in our exterior that we can not hide. We wear our pain like a scarlet letter: something we must bear the hurt of forever.

Others of us are only slightly broken. The fractures in our armor are tiny and can't be seen by the naked eye. We try to camouflage the hurt with smiles and laughs, but underneath, we feel the truth.

The things that break us vary from the minute to the mammoth. They can be something as small or something grand, such as the tragic loss of a loved one, miscarriages, drug addiction, abuse, bullying, weight issues, abuse, depression, etc. All of these things can create an irreversible chink in our chains.

Some of us wear our brokeness with great honor. We see our battle scars like medals that we have been given for making it out of a terrible situation alive. We wear them to let the pain know that we have not forgotten and to let others in pain know that they are not alone.

Others of us cover up any sign that there has ever been distress in our life and carry on like nothing has ever happened. We want to forget what has caused us such strife and move one, letting the pain know that we are stronger than it is.

Often we get stuck in our our own grief and troubles, feeling that no one else on earth could ever understand what we are going through. This is not true. Though their situations may not exactly mirror our own, there are people out there that are going through the same trials and tribulations as we are. Sometimes all we need to do is just open yourselves up to listening to them. Isolation will only ensure that we are always alone.

You are not alone.