I never imagined I'd be one missed paycheck away from losing my home. But that’s exactly where I found myself last year.
At first, it was just one late payment. Then two. Then the letters started arriving—words like “default” and “foreclosure” bolded in all caps. It felt like a countdown to something I had no control over.
I stopped opening the mail. I ignored phone calls from unknown numbers. I told no one. I was ashamed.
But deep down, I wasn’t just scared of losing my house. I was scared of what it would say about me—about my worth, my responsibility, my ability to provide. I kept thinking, “People like me don’t let this happen.”
Only, people like me do. People like you do. Because life isn’t just a neat line of predictable events. Sometimes it curves sharply—and you’re forced to find your footing again.
I’ll never forget the night I broke down and Googled “What to do if I’m facing foreclosure.” What I found wasn’t just legal advice. I found real stories. I found people who’d survived it. I found options.
That moment changed everything.
What I learned was this: foreclosure is a process—not a punishment. And within that process, there are windows of opportunity—if you act.
I reached out to a housing support organization the next day. It was terrifying. But they didn’t shame me. They listened. They explained my options. They helped me put together a hardship letter, speak with my lender, and file the paperwork I’d been too overwhelmed to open.
It wasn’t easy. But it was possible.
I kept my home.
Today, I speak up about it not because I want attention—but because I wish someone had told me sooner that I wasn’t alone.
If you’re reading this and you’re feeling that weight—please know:
You are not a failure. You are not out of time. And you do have options.
Sometimes, the scariest letter in the mail is also the wake-up call we need. And sometimes, what feels like the end of the road is actually the beginning of a better one—if you reach out, speak up, and take that first step.
Comments