𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐲 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐀𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝: 𝐀 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Author: Ruth O. AWOYINKA As I approach the close of this chapter, my early adulthood, I find myself filled with deep gratitude and awe for all that God has taught me, and all that life has shaped in me. I am far from perfect. I still stumble and fail in many ways, but I see now that even those failures have become places of growth, healing, and restoration. 1. One of the most profound lessons I've learned is that it’s okay to feel. In fact, it’s good to be emotional. There was a time in my life when, due to painful experiences and disappointments, I felt emotionally numb. I couldn’t cry, couldn’t grieve, I had lost touch with certain emotions that are essential for healing and wholeness. But in His kindness, God restored that part of me. I remember praying, “God, please restore my emotions,” and He did. Now, I cry when it’s needed. I grieve when it’s needed. And I no longer see ...