We can't control what family or circumstances we are born into, and I'm not so naive to suggest that we all land exactly where we are supposed to. We don't inherit opportunity in equal measure.
It's not fair that there are people in my life who were born into poverty, racism, and other traumas beyond description. My dear friend Shari says that racism is the "compromising and minimizing" of her life solely because of her African American ethnicity and heritage.
I hate that that is her truth. I was born into a family whose traumas were buried deep but yielded mental health issues and addiction nonetheless, until some of us made the decision to heal.
I inherited strength and resilience from my family of origin, which has helped make recovery possible, but I also inherited white privilege, which means that recovery is more available to me than to some others. It also means I have an obligation to use my privilege to do better and help others, or at least do no more harm.
We can't always escape what we are born into, but if we are fortunate, we can decide what we leave behind.