Hi there (Hola), my name is Maggie. My parents were born in Spain, but we immigrated to Canada from France in the late sixties. I was two years old at the time.

We had our struggles as New Canadians and we also had our struggles as a family. As a young girl, I felt like people were judging us because we were “different”. For as long as I can remember, my parents would fight in front of us all the time – day and night. We were raised in a home where shouting, hitting, name-calling and emotional shaming were the norm.

Even as a child though, I noticed that not all families treated each other like this. I was hopeful that it didn’t always have to be like this. As a teenager, I met friends that shared similar stories about their upbringing. I learned early on in life that it was healthy to share stories with others, with no judgment. I learned to share and more importantly, I learned to listen.

I am a mother of two young men, ages 19 and 21 and because of my childhood, I wanted to raise them in a more peaceful and respectful home. Is it as easy as I thought it would be? Even if I did things differently than my parents did? Absolutely not! But it has been worth it! There will always be struggles and challenges but that is part of raising a family. Every day is a learning experience.

I believe that we can all learn and grow from our life experiences regardless of our past. I also believe that it is important to focus on the “now” and each hour of everyday moving forward.

When we share, we learn from one another. When we learn from one another, we grow and keep evolving. Now as an adult, I embrace where I came from and who I am.

Hablo y comprendo el español tambien!