Although XLH has been debilitating in so many ways, it has given me the greatest gift – empathy. Empathy is what I learned when I had to be vulnerable as a child to ask for help. Vulnerability is what I learned when I had to build trust with strangers. I reciprocated this trust by showing up for them like they showed up for me. And this trust is what led to all the great relationships in my life today. Empathy led to vulnerability which led to trust which led to love and friendships. So, the world might have been a lonely place without my XLH 😉