When I was in 9th-grade science class, Mrs. Divine gave us an assignment. I decided to draw a rocket bursting through the Earth. In my mind, it made perfect sense—the rocket started deep inside the planet, pushing its way out through layers of rock and molten core before reaching the open sky.
Mrs. Divine looked at my paper and paused. She kindly pointed out, “Rockets don’t start from the core, they launch from the surface.”
I was surprised. To me, starting at the center was the harder, more heroic route—it required pushing through every layer before you could break free.
Oppression and Extra Layers
Looking back, I realize that rocket was more than just a drawing—it was a metaphor for what many people experience in life.
When we talk about oppression, trauma, generational hardship, or systemic barriers, not everyone is starting at the same “surface level.”
Some people are born already on the launchpad—there’s still work to do, but they’re in a position to take off. Others start deep inside, having to push through layers of:
Poverty
Discrimination
Family dysfunction
Health challenges
Lack of access to education or opportunity
Each layer requires time, energy, and resilience just to reach the starting point where others have been all along.
Why Where You Start Matters
In counseling, we often see clients frustrated that they aren’t “farther ahead.” But progress can’t be measured only by where you are now—it has to take into account where you started and what you’ve already pushed through.
If you’ve been breaking through multiple layers to get to the surface, that is progress. That is strength.
Breaking Through, Layer by Layer
Like a rocket fighting through gravity, the journey isn’t instant—it takes preparation, support, and sometimes a ground crew cheering you on. Therapy, community, and self-compassion can be that launch support, helping you:
Identify which “layers” you’re pushing through
Find strategies to break them apart
Conserve your energy for the moments that matter most
Celebrate every milestone along the way
Your Journey is Valid
If you feel like you’re still deep inside, breaking through complex layers—remember, that’s not failure. That’s part of your story. And every inch you climb matters.
Not everyone starts on the surface, and that’s why compassion—both for ourselves and others—is so important. Whether your rocket launches from the pad or the core of the Earth, what matters is that you keep moving upward.
At Shepherd Way Counseling, we help people name their layers, navigate through them, and find the resilience to rise. Your starting point doesn’t define your worth—it’s your courage to keep climbing that tells your story.
