Am The Way I Am for a reason

I believe I was created this way for a reason. There is a reason and a purpose as to why I am me. God created me as the best version of me that I can be. Am a strong African woman, who is proud of her roots. My mother brought us well. The punishment we used to receive were harsh being whipped occasionally this was a sign of 'love' as they used to put it. Being whipped was the order of the day, if you heard your neighbors screaming you automatically start preparing yourself because you were next on line. If it so happened that you were friends and you were playing together that day just know it's an automatic whipping.
This formed as to be who we are down the line. Some time I look at children of knower days they can answer back their parents back with no respect at all. If you happened to talk back, you could not even see the slap coming. Parents were really hard on us then but now we can comfortably tell stories of what happened that time.
I remember vividly one day my mom came from work in the evening I was around standard three by then. I had finished washing and cleaning, I was waiting for her to come and give instructions on what to cook for dinner. Our neighbor had heard me talking to my friend about some things and she chose to inform my mother. When she got in the house she was in a foul mood I asked her what the problem was and she said we needed to talk. My heart started beating first I knew it was payback time. She took a wooden spoon and asked me some questions that time I was tongue tied I wouldn't say anything because I knew she had made up her mind and it was judgement time.
I chose to remain silent cause I knew whatever I could say at this time would be used against me. I was whipped with the wooden spoon. That day I cried my heart out and I said to myself that was the last day I was to be bitten I decided I will never ever let that happen to me again. And that was the last whipping I had I stayed on the positive side and decided to look out for myself.
Am happy that incident happened because I have learnt from it. Am a strong woman now because of the whipping I experienced. It was a stepping stone for me to start the good life I have now. Am proud of being an African and that I can look back and remember some experiences I have gone through that have helped shape my life.