This series is Chris Duffin's reflection on his life and experiences—both painful and rewarding—that have formed him as a person. He willingly and openly goes into dark, hidden corners of his heart and uncovers memories that have long been pushed down. Now as a father, raising his own children brings back many of the memories of his own upbringing, of which he would change nothing but still recognizes the pain involved. In this video, and in the others in this series, Chris openly shares the experiences that have made him the person he is today.
This written and spoken word piece gets pretty personal. Each one in this series of pieces about my life growing up dives a little deeper than the last. In this one I reflect on my stepfather and his impact on me, trying to understand how a person who loved his children so much could be the one that also inadvertently created a great deal of difficulty and strife in each of their lives. This contrast between loving someone and scarring them isn't fully dissected, but the contrast in intentions between both the "good" and some of the "bad" people in my life is also reviewed. Without a doubt, some of these experiences played a role in shaping the younger version of myself.
WATCH: How the Bite of the Iron Nurtured My Growth
