The power or right to act, speak or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. This is one of the many definitions for the word FREEDOM. Having lived my childhood under the regime of Saddam Hussein, I craved nothing but to get a glimpse of the freedom people around the world enjoyed. I almost lost my life pursuing it. And today…I can shamefully admit that every once in awhile I take that freedom that I worked so hard for, for granted. As I grow accustomed to this lifestyle and reap its benefits, at times, I fail to be grateful…

There was a chicken farmer who found an eagle’s egg. He put it with his chickens and soon the egg hatched. The young eagle grew up with all the other chickens and whatever they did, the eagle did too. He thought he was a chicken, just like them. Since the chicken could only fly for a short distance, the eagle also learned to fly a short distance. He thought that was what he was supposed to do. So that was all he thought he could do. As a consequence, that was all he was able to do. One day, the…

It is not a secret that I’ve had a rough childhood; you can even say that I was robbed of my childhood. When I share my story, people automatically make assumptions about me, some good such as, I am strong, resilient, and courageous, while others make assumptions such as PTSD and other traumatic labels. I can tell by the questions I receive at the end of my speeches which label they have bestowed upon me. Do I suffer from PTSD? Absolutely! Have I lost sleep due to my traumatic childhood? Too many nights. Have I sought treatments and therapy to…