survivor
-
Why We Don’t Run From Abuse
I often ponder over stories I hear of abuse victims fleeing overnight, and I wonder if they are helpful or harmful to those who are still trapped. We hear of a “success” in finding freedom and are ready to applaud the brave soul who escaped. In truth, I think that we should instead approach these Continue reading
-
My Suicide Story
Suicide. We often stiffen uncomfortably at the sight of the word. We’re afraid to speak it aloud, much less discuss with honesty, how frequently fleeting thoughts of self destruction have touched our minds. It is indeed a dark, lonesome path from that first whisper of an idea, to the conscious creation of a plan to Continue reading
-
We Cannot Bury the Guilt
How can one specific body movement or sensation bring with it an instant torrent of guilt? The freedom fight from former abuse is not done once we run. It’s not finished when the physical access to our bodies stops. For those of us who were taught day in and day out that we were responsible Continue reading
-
And the Greatest of These is Love
My memories are so fragmented, but as I continue to write, maybe I can make sense of… something.We were considered to be a fairly large family. Most folks seemed to think seven kids made for a massive family, anyway. I never thought we were of any extra volume, people-wise. Our church was filled with so Continue reading
-
Domestic David & Goliath
I was their protector. Their warrior. Others speak of me as being a warrior against my illness, and not to belittle those battles because they are beautiful in their own way, but those will never compare to the war I fought as a child. I felt like David in stories of old – just a Continue reading
-
Awaking From Trauma
Trauma memories have a way of reappearing, regardless of suppression, regardless of therapy, regardless of what I thought were successful coping mechanisms. The dark, vivid mental recordings feel like thick and sticky tar, leaking their way in to suffocate and overtake my dreams. They morph them into different, equally dark stories, but not without clear Continue reading
Creating Peace From the Pieces 