Growing up, I didn't have the most amazing life. I grew up with an physically abusive mother and a father he worked hard but was physically deteriorating.

School wasn't much better. Constantly bullied and ridiculed. I ended up being voted most likely to be a school shooter.

I ended up falling in love with a girl at 17. Her parents didnt approve but i didn't care.

Eventually things turned sour. The parents got a restraining order, which i quickly violated. The girl simply branchswung to her "best guy friend" and had his kid while i was in chains.

I faced 3 years in prison and plead down to a full year in the county jail.

There i was, a mess of a boy, on the edge of the abyss. The people who were in my life stood in silence. Just shaking their heads and basically saying "of course, what can you expect from an animal."

"He's a lost cause."

"He's too far gone."

"He'll never change."

"It was always going to end like this for him"

"He's hopeless."

I was ready to end it. I just wanted to die. It was over. They were right. I'm nothing. I will never be anything...

Only one man stood up and said "no."

My father.

On two broken feet, no crutches, struggling to use the rails, that man made his way to the jail visitation. He was supposed to be in the hospital, recovering.

The last words i had spoken to him were years before, where i yelled at him that i hated his guts and that i would kill him if i had the chance.

I picked up the phone.

"How you doing, son?"

I cried.

"Dad, why are you here? Dont you see where I'm at? Its time to face facts. Im a loser and ill never be anything."

My dad looked on me stoically. A warm smile on his face but his eyes were sad.

"You're wrong, son."

"You're wrong. They're wrong. The whole world is wrong about you. But if you lay there, and don't get up, they'll be right."

"Aren't you angry, son? Do you want to give them the satisfaction?"

"I believe in you, son."

"No matter what you say, or what you do, I'll never stop loving you."

"If you do not fight, you cannot win, son."

"Show them theyre wrong about you! Show them that theyve counted you out too soon."

"Dont worry about saving anyone, save yourself first."

"Didnt you want to be a hero? Didn't you want to make a difference?"

"It doesn't matter how hard you can hit. What matters is how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward."

"Do not be afraid anymore, son. Fear is the mind killer. Fight"

I had my eyes shut tight, a grimace on my face, and tears streaming down my face.

He was right. He was right, damnit.

I wasn't done. I wasn't even close to done.

So im a beast huh? I'll show them a real fucking beast. If they're so afraid of me, ill give them some justification.

My cellmate at the time had been abusing me: hitting me with a wound up towel, wrestling etc.

I remembered my dad's words "if you do not fight, you cannot win."

I laid in bed after the second night of abuse, thinking "if i don't stand up for myself, this hell will be everyday of my life for the next 363 days."

"Don't you remember what you said? That youre gonna change? Youre gonna be a bitch in here if you dont fight!"

"So fight, damnit!"

"Next time he hits you, hit back!"

"Fear is the mind killer. Dont be afraid anymore!"

The next day rolls around and the abuse is about to start. I used to pathetically plead for him to stop like a little bitch. But today was going to be different.

He asked "you ready to play?"

I closed my eyes and thought back to what my dad said,

"You are my son. Stand and fight."

I looked at him and smiled back "yeah"

I wound up my towel and started wailing on the guy.

He dropped his towel and we started to wrestle.

I ended up luckily and accidently getting the guy in a rear naked choke.

I could tell he was struggling to breathe, so i let him go after awhile. I didn't want to go that far.

The guy ended up spinning around to attack, but he broke his pinky toe of all things and yelled in pain.

After that day, i was moved into my own cell where i served the rest pf my time before coming out a changed man, and into the arms of the only person that was there at the exit.

My father.

I ran to him.

He hugged me " i knew you could do it son, i never had any doubt in my mind that you couldn't do it."

That's when i learned that no one else could prove my dad right, and only i could prove him wrong.

If life is not fair. Make it fair.

No one hits harder than life.

And it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it.

Dont let the opinions of others poison you. The only opinion that will matter in the end is your own opinion.

Dont change tomorrow.

Change today.