Written By: Felecia Causey and Lovely Bruce
Photography By: Felecia Causey
I wanted to see what Ms. Lovely had been up to since I featured her on my blog years ago, so I recently followed up with her. Let me just say that I'm happy I did. She is such a remarkable young lady. She exudes beauty from the inside out and is well mannered. She is among the bravest individuals I have ever met. I was interested in learning about her educational experience as she grew older after we spoke. My heart ached when she told me that the bullying had gotten so serious that she had to be pulled out of school. Who wouldn't want to be friends with someone as unique as her? This infuriated me. How can people be rude and evil?
My life has seen a lot of ups and downs in the last few years. I've undergone more than 90 procedures. The positive has overcome the negative that was meant to bring me down. I was burned when I was six years old, but as I got older and into my early adolescence, I also started to feel depressed, anxious, and insecure. Around this time, I also began to compare myself to a lot of other girls my age, which had a bad effect on my self-esteem.
I had to come to the realization as I grew older that loving who I am is the most important thing. I also realized that God had placed me in a horrible situation to demonstrate to others that hardship can always be overcome and used for the greater good. After recognizing how fortunate I am, I'm now truly thankful for my scars and have finally fallen in love with them. My wounds serve as a constant reminder of my resiliency and the ability to evaluate how my life has changed while following the plans of God.
Due to fentanyl intoxication, my dear sister passed away in August of 2023. My sister was a lovely young woman who gave off charm, intelligence, humor, and beauty. I have to constantly convince myself that she is smiling down on me because she is so happy about the accomplishments I have made. I hate that she didn't get to live the long life she deserved to enjoy. She was a mother of two.
I recently graduated this year, and even though I'm the youngest of my mother's three children, I'm the first to graduate. Having my brother incarcerated and then losing my other sibling really affected my mental health because I knew neither of my siblings would be present on my special day. However, God helped me overcome all I never thought I could, and even now, I'm still incredibly grateful for everything he's done for me! In the fall, I plan to enroll at Alabama State University to pursue a communications major with the goal of using my degree to launch a nonprofit organization that supports body positivity.
Lovely wanted to talk about her experience, her love for herself, and God's mercy. Using my voice, I wanted to remind parents that it's important to teach their kids not to bully others. How merciful God is, and what a miracle-worker He is.
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