Five years ago this very morning, I became a victim of violent sexual assault, a widow, and a single mother.
I’ve eluded to this in my writing from time to time, sharing with you many times that I know what I’m talking about when I share with you about domestic violence…emotional abuse…verbal abuse…physical threats…
They’re all in the pages of my personal history book.
But until now, I haven’t shared the ultimate demise of that abusive relationship, a day that’s forever burned into my memory and turned our world on its ear, causing us to grab hold of our faith in a desperate clutch like never before. Continue Reading
Have you been in unhealthy relationships? Probably at least one at some point, right? I sure have.
I’m still figuring out why: what led me to believe I didn’t deserve more…why I wanted to stay…what made me think I could fix it…or fix them.
When I was a junior in high school the assignment in my Creative Writing class was to find a favorite poem and act it out. I chose this poem that I’m going to share with you. Bear with me and you’ll discover its importance.
What surprises me about this poem is that I didn’t listen to it…then. I have loved the words all these years and felt their meaning and knew how true they were. But I just couldn’t apply them in my own life and empower myself. It’s so often hard to think of ourselves as deserving of good things, good people, strength. To paraphrase Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman “the bad stuff is easier to believe.” Vivian could have used this poem too. Continue Reading
Our beabrador Lillie came to us in July 2008 as a tiny pup and immediately stole our hearts. She left us peacefully and like the lady she was on January 30, 2016 and we will never be the same. You can see her sweetly napping a few weeks ago in the featured picture in her favorite napping spot.
Grief. The word is looming, scary, nobody wants anything to do with it. We fear it.
My family is in the midst of grief. We said goodbye yesterday to a dear and faithful friend, our dog Lillie. She’d been with us for nearly 8 years, since she was just a tiny puppy. We’re her only people. If folks have never had pets or never had one that’s become like family, they won’t understand what I’m saying and I respect that.
But if you’ve had pets whom you adore, this will resonate with you. There’s this thing about dogs. They melt when you scratch their tummies. They want to snuggle up to you like a little baby and snore in your face. But in a heartbeat, they’d come between you and anything that poses a threat, willing to sacrifice their very lives for your safety.
There’s a reason we love our pets so much: They’re faithful. They may poop on the floor sometimes, but they never fail us. They fight for us. They don’t gossip about us. They are loyal, no matter what. They don’t lie to us. They don’t lie about us. They never betray us. They keep our secrets. Their whole lives are about us. For most pets, we are their world. They are completely and undeniably dedicated to us and only us. Continue Reading
Do you ever have those days when you feel like you’re an involuntary participant in an ugly game of dodgeball and you’re the only one getting hit by the ball? Repeatedly?
This week has been a string of a couple of those days. I have a lot on my mind, some real concerns.
At the end of 2015, I discovered a bulge in my abdomen. Immediately I was worried, internally panicked. Having worked in the medical field for 20 years and being a chronic patient (thanks to Crohn’s disease), I know more than the average bear about medical things. And I’m a chronic worrier so my mind goes to the worst possibility.
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