Every ember is someone who made it through. This is the text-only version of the interactive experience: read stories from people around the world, give kudos, or add your own.
434 stories from 52 countries, 1976 kudos given in total.
Stories
Page 12 of 18, newest stories first.
Sander V.
Delft, Netherlands
What burned
I got meningitis when I was 1. Because of that, I became deaf.
What glows
I have a nice job and a sweet girlfriend. I also work with deaf people now and can be an example for them!
Machine-translated into English. Show the original text of Sander V.
What burned (original)
Ik kreeg hersenvliesonsteking toen ik 1 was. Ik ben daardoor doof geworden.
What glows (original)
Ik heb een mooie baan en een lieve vriendin. Ik werk nu ook met dove mensen en kan een voorbeeld voor ze zijn!
War. Separation from my family. Building myself back up, piece by piece, in a foreign country. Loneliness, depression, and moments when it feels like I’ve lost not only my home, but a part of myself along the way.
What glows
Miles of trails, unfamiliar cities, forests, mountains, and my favorite songs playing in my headphones. Moments when I can simply walk, breathe, feel, and slowly find my way back to myself.
And as long as I keep moving forward, I know I haven’t lost myself.
Since childhood, I have been living with a condition called spina bifida. It is a neurological condition that affects the nervous system and muscle function, causing mobility difficulties and fatigue. Some people with this condition even need to use a wheelchair.
At the moment, I am unemployed after completing a one-year internship that I unfortunately did not pass because I had not fully mastered all the required skills. Sadly, I wasn't given the opportunity to complete a second year.
What glows
I have turned my condition into astrength rather than a weakness. I don't complain about it. This year it's 10 years since I started working out at the gym. I have pursued extensive studies four qualifications.
I refuse to give up or lose hope. I keep moving forward, supported by the people around me and by music — especially yours, Within Temptation.
Your music gives me strength, courage, and motivation as I wait for that second chance to prove myself!
I will keep fighting, no matter what!
I was abused my whole life. My parents threw me as a baby, my mom would beat me until I bled and fractured my hand. I got into hard street drugs as a teenager because the only people who accepted my alt style did hard drugs. I went from being a straight A student to dropping out of high school. I emancipated myself from my parents in grade 11 and moved out on my own. My first boyfriend was a drug addict and drug dealer who raped me 200 times. I also survived a 5 year DV relationship 3 years ago.
What glows
My love for art, especially music. I almost took my life my life one time and before I did there was a voice that said: "Wait. Music exists." My resilience. My love for animals and children: I've almost graduated college for the 3rd time and this time I'm going to be a Child and Youth Worker (social worker for children and youth). My brain after being beat up and doing hard drugs as a teen: I have a 85% average in college after frying it and not being able to speak. God, Jesus and Mother Earth
Completely losing my selfworth and stopped loving myself. I was emotionally in a very dark place, where I gained a lot of weight and depression and anxiety completely took over. Several times, I thought this was just it, that I couldn’t get better and become this person who was happy on the outside, but never happy on the inside.
What glows
Years later, I’ve relearned to be kind to myself (and still learning), but also to be kind to others. You never know what people hide beyond their smiles therefore, always be kind to one another. Kindness doesn’t cost a thing, and it goes a long way.
Track
Raise Your Banner
Andy S.
Kettering, United Kingdom
What burned
I'm 57 years old suffer from depression since I was 16. Have bad days and in 90s had a bad year when I lost 2 close friends.
What glows
Listening to your music has helped get me through the dark days. Plus my new partner has helped me
Years of depression social anxiety and psychosomatic pain,tension caused by my brother and classmates. It got so bad that I wasn't leaving the house for 4 years and I was extremely afraid of pretty girls. To the point of panic attacks and throwing up
What glows
I moved out of my parents' house, am working as a full-time medical assistant, got a wonderful girlfriend who has two wonderful teens and I've recorded my second album with my band and performed at many big festivals.
Track
The Purge
Lars R.
Kehl, Germany
What burned
Five years ago, within eight weeks, I lost first my grandmother and then my grandfather. Last year my other grandfather passed away. I learned so much for my life from all three of them. I miss them very much..
What glows
I will always keep the memories of these three important people in my heart, and when it is really bad, I look at pictures of them. That gives me strength
Machine-translated into English. Show the original text of Lars R.
What burned (original)
Vor fünf Jahren habe ich innerhalb von acht Wochen erst meine Großmutter und dann meinen Großvater verloren. Letztes Jahr ist dann noch mein anderer Großvater gestorben. Ich habe von den dreien so viel für mein Leben gelernt. Ich vermisse sie sehr..
What glows (original)
Die Erinnerungen an diese drei wichtigen Menschen werde ich immer im Herzen behalten und wenn es ganz schlimm ist, schau ich Bilder von Ihnen an. Das gibt mir Kraft
Track
Ice Queen
Kina B.
Coulee Dam, United States
What burned
Suicidal Tendencies.
Not having anyone in my own life that cared enough.
What glows
Finding hobbies to distract.
(Music, books, movies.)
My son lost his first child at 20 months old, my grand son😪
What glows
He has since had a baby girl! It helps the healing from losing one so young, but the pain will never completely leave 🙏
Track
Sing Like A Siren
Evelien V.
Maassluis, Netherlands
What burned
This past year I lost a lot of people, and because of that I went into a grieving process and eventually an autistic burnout, which I am still in after more than half a year.
What glows
That I am really taking steps forward and more and more light is appearing at the end of the tunnel. With many caring and kind people around me.
Machine-translated into English. Show the original text of Evelien V.
What burned (original)
Ik ben afgelopen jaar veel mensen verloren en kwam daardoor in een rouwproces en uiteindelijk autistische burn-out, waar ik na ruim een half jaar nog steeds in zit.
What glows (original)
Dat ik echt wel stappen vooruit zet en en steeds meer licht komt aan het einde van de tunnel. Met veel zorgzame en lieve mensen om mij heen.
Richelle L.
Schimmert, Netherlands
What burned
Early this year our pregnancy ended in a miscarriage at 11 weeks. A difficult event, certainly because at 11 weeks it is already a real little human. After a very difficult period of burnout and heavy moments, this hit my husband twice as hard. I really had to pick him up off the ground. During this period you released the song Somebody Like You, which resonated strongly with our situation. I shed a lot of tears over it and drew support from it.
What glows
We decided to let our grief in and to talk about it openly. This received a lot of positive reactions. In the end, less than 2 months later, we were pregnant again. I am currently 37 weeks, and we can't wait to meet our little girl soon.
Machine-translated into English. Show the original text of Richelle L.
What burned (original)
Begin dit jaar is onze zwangerschap geëindigd in een miskraam met 11 weken. Een moeilijke gebeurtenis zeker omdat het met 11 weken al een echt mensje is. Na een hele moeilijke periode van burnout en zware momenten kwam dit dubbel zo zwaar aan bij mijn man. Ik heb hem echt van de grond moeten rapen. Tijdens deze periode brachten jullie net het nummer Somebody Like You uit welke erg resoneerde met ons moment. Ik heb er veel tranen bij gelaten en steun uit gehaald
What glows (original)
We besloten ons verdriet toe te laten en er open over te praten. Dit kreeg veel positieve reacties. Uiteindelijk werden we nog geen 2 maanden later opnieuw zwanger. Momenteel ben ik 37 weken en we kunnen niet wachten om onze kleine meid binnenkort te ontmoeten
Like so many others, the loss of a loved one is a wound that never fully closes. I don't only think about those who are no longer here; sometimes I catch myself wondering who might be next, and that stops me from enjoying the present.
What glows
Memories are precious jewels that should always stay with us, and we should show them with pride alongside our scars. Let us not be afraid of tomorrow, and let us only value the now.
Machine-translated into English. Show the original text of Juan V.
What burned (original)
Como a tantos otros, la pérdida de un ser querido es una herida que no se termina nunca de cerrar. No sólo pienso en los que ya no están sino que a veces me sorprendo pensando en quién puede ser el siguiente, y eso me impide disfrutar del presente.
What glows (original)
Los recuerdos son joyas preciosas que nos han de acompañar siempre y nosotros debemos mostrar con orgullo junto a nuestras cicatrices. Que no nos dé miedo el mañana y solamente valoremos el ahora.
Recently I was diagnosed with Graves' disease/hyperthyroidism. It's not only the symptoms of tremors, racing heart, and bulging eyes. It's the anxiety, the loss of identity, your personality being limited to your physical condition, the eating that now has to be conscious, and how your mind can trap you or free you from a whirlpool of emotions that burn both positively and negatively. It took more than 2 years to get a diagnosis, but now I am getting better.
What glows
My pug Kiwa gives me strength, my sister, my parents. I am not alone on this path, I was able to find specialists who could treat me, and now I can see, and my eyes are no longer in constant pain. Music has always been able to be with me and guide my thoughts toward a more pleasant emotion. My body, my mind, and even my spirituality are in constant change, and that is good because I am still here in this world and because I can live new experiences, which, pleasant or not, are part of who I am and what I choose.
Machine-translated into English. Show the original text of Eurídice M.
What burned (original)
Recientemente me diagnosticaron con enfermedad de Graves/Hipertiroidismo, no sólo es los síntomas de temblores, taquicardia, y ojos saltones. Es la ansiedad, la pérdida de identidad, tu personalidad que se ve limitada a tu condición física, la alimentación que debe ser ahora consiente y como tu mente te puede atrapar o liberar de un remolino de emociones que arden tanto positivamente como negativamente. Tuvo que pasar más de 2 años para que me dieran un diagnostico, pero ahora ya voy mejorando
What glows (original)
Me da fortaleza mi pug Kiwa, mi hermana, mis papás. No estoy sola en este camino, pude encontrar especialistas que me pudieran tratar, ahora ya puedo ver y mis ojos ya no están en dolor constante. La música siempre pudo estar conmigo y guiar mis pensamientos a una emoción más agradable. Mi físico, mi mente y hasta mi espiritualidad están en constante cambio, y eso es bueno porque sigo aquí en este mundo y porque puedo vivir nuevas experiencias, que agradables o no son parte de lo que soy y elijo
Track
Sing Like A Siren
Abby W.
Hillsborough, United States
What burned
I lost my grandmother who I was really close to and I don't think I've gotten over it yet.
What glows
She's still here, just not in person anymore
Track
Sing Like A Siren
Belle L.
Netanya, Israel
What burned
I've struggled with self-harm, anxiety, low self-esteem, and constantly feeling like I'm not good enough. Criticism about my appearance, being told I'm too skinny, made it even harder.
I still struggle with anxiety and panic attacks, sometimes even ordinary days feel overwhelming.
I've also experienced painful losses. I lost my grandfather, and two months later, my grandmother, whom I was incredibly close to. During that already difficult time, I also almost lost my mother to a heart attack..
What glows
WT, your music (and music in general), Sharon's voice, and the TikToks you share always bring a smile to my face.❤️
Animals are a huge source of happiness in my life. Working with dogs and volunteering at a dog shelter, spending time with them and caring for them bring me so much joy.🐾
Drawing is another thing that brings me happiness.
And of course, my family and friends. Their love and support mean the world to me.
This toxic relationship put me through intense suffering, moral exhaustion and health problems. Living in constant anxiety near someone who rejected me and belittled me destroyed my self-esteem. Trapped in this destructive cycle, I came close to the worst before having the saving click: saying stop, getting treated by a psychiatrist and finally setting my limits so I would no longer put myself in danger. The scar is there, but I chose to survive.
What glows
Today, I am being reborn. The unwavering support of my friends and my concert buddies carried me. Music, singing lessons and my new job in logistics give me back strength, confidence and energy, and allow me to rebuild physically by taking care of myself. The song Forever Without You by Evanescence was my shield. Never love someone who ignores your worth: love yourself, set your limits, you are strong and you deserve to be respected.
Machine-translated into English. Show the original text of Kévin J.
What burned (original)
Cette relation toxique m'a fait traverser une souffrance intense, un épuisement moral et des problèmes de santé. Vivre dans l'angoisse permanente près de quelqu'un qui me rejetait et me déconsidérait a détruit mon estime de moi. Prisonnier de ce cercle destructeur, j'ai frôlé le pire avant d'avoir le déclic salvateur : dire stop, me faire soigner par un psychiatre et poser enfin mes limites pour ne plus me mettre en danger. La cicatrice est là, mais j'ai choisi de survivre.
What glows (original)
Aujourd'hui, je renais. Le soutien indéfectible de mes amis et des mes potes de concert m'a porté. La musique, les cours de chant et mon nouveau travail en logistique me redonnent force, confiance, énergie et me permettent de me reconstruire physiquement en prenant soin de moi. La chanson Forever Without You d'Evanescence a été mon bouclier. N'aimez jamais quelqu'un qui ignore votre valeur : aimez-vous, posez vos limites, vous êtes forts et vous méritez d'être respectés.
Track
Raise Your Banner
Rob M.
Belvidere, United States
What burned
Not loving my self enough and being left behind by my biological and adopted family.
What glows
Listening to your music gave me strength and peace to start my transition from female to male,it helped me through darker days.
I lost my mom a year ago, it is very hard because she was my pillar! I thought I was supported in difficult moments by a friend, but in fact not at all, which means I am alone with my pain.
What glows
What does me good is listening to your music and especially your voice, Sharon. Everything comforts me, even if I cry at some songs, and afterwards I feel like I'm doing better, like I want to do things...
Machine-translated into English. Show the original text of Barbara L.
What burned (original)
J’ai perdu ma maman il y a 1 an, c’est très dur car elle était mon pilier ! Je pensais être soutenu dans les moments difficile par une amie mais en fait pas du tout ce qui fait que je suis seule avec ma douleur.
What glows (original)
Ce qui me fait du bien c’est d’écouter votre musique et surtout votre voix Sharon. Tout me réconforte même si je pleure à certaines chansons et après j’ai l’impression d’aller mieux, d’avoir envie de faire des choses …
Track
Sing Like A Siren
Patricia D.
Ede, Netherlands
What burned
The loss of my brother to suicide, and not being able to say goodbye
What glows
The love I receive and feel from my partner and my bonus children
Machine-translated into English. Show the original text of Patricia D.
What burned (original)
Het verlies van mijn broer door zelfmoord, en geen afscheid kunnen nemen
What glows (original)
De liefde die ik krijg en voel van mijn partner en mijn bonuskinderen
I went through years of depression and anxiety. It was not a sudden thing at all but it slowly ate through my life, health, and desire to live overall. It took years again to get out of it and I still fear to go to some places because deep down I'm still scared of what I might do. Most of my family and friends have no clue about this experience.
What glows
I'm still here today, much much better with my life. I found that talking helps, getting help, in any form is crucial, it can be finding a professional or just reaching out to a friend telling them how you feel.
The world we live in now is rough and scary, but Im convinced that kindness, love and supporting other is key. Sometimes something as simple as smiling to a stranger, or reply to a text may save someone's life.
Track
Don't Pray for Me
Jacky P.
Beveren-Waas, Belgium
What burned
Severe anxiety and PTSD resulting from trauma. Loss of loved ones.
What glows
Connection with fellow "travelers", friends, and loved ones. My dear cats, Arya and Ginny.
I was born unwanted. My grandparents gave me a loving childhood, until I was taken away from that safety at nine. Years of physical, emotional and sexual abuse followed. At eighteen, I escaped, but the scars remained. Years later, I lost my little boy, a pain no parent should ever have to endure. Life has tested me in ways I never imagined. Yet even through the deepest darkness, a small flame inside me refused to die.
What glows
Despite everything, I never lost my ability to love, trust and care. I chose not to become what once hurt me. My little boy lives forever in my heart, while my daughter fills my life with light and joy. I believe in honesty, kindness and genuine human connection. My past has shaped me, but it has never taken away my tenderness or my strength. I don't need a perfect life to find happiness. I have learned to embrace life as it comes. My scars remain, but so does my fire.
Track
Don't Pray for Me
Jen D.
Kalamazoo, United States
What burned
Complete heartbreak to the bottom of my soul.
What glows
Children, music and faith helped me heal.
Track
Raise Your Banner
Rui P.
Lisbon, Portugal
What burned
My dear grandmother whom I lost unexpectedly when I was only 12 years old, and who created the biggest trauma of my life that I carry forever
What glows
My family, my daughters, music, my Bestie, my favorite band
Machine-translated into English. Show the original text of Rui P.
What burned (original)
A minha querida avó que perdi inesperadamente quando tinha apenas 12 anos, e criou o maior trauma da minha vida que carrego para sempre
What glows (original)
A minha família, as minhas filhas, a música, a minha Bestie, a minha banda preferida
Track
Ice Queen
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