Tightrope

In a sense, we survivors walk a tightrope.

We need to affirm our own strength—AND be willing to accept the help and support and wisdom of others.

We need to believe in ourselves and our abilities to heal—AND be gentle with ourselves and acknowledge just how much damage abuse did and how hard it is to overcome.

We need to be open to love and learn how to trust—AND we must be willing to set and respect boundaries and protect ourselves from further harm.

We need to believe in good in the world—AND acknowledge just how deeply we were hurt.

No one “just gets over it.” That’s not possible. The hurt of abuse goes far too deep. What we CAN do is rewrite all the lies we were told, the beliefs we took in that limit us, that hurt us, that keep us from having the lives we want to have. We can affirm that the past does NOT have to equal the future. Nor do we have to be who we were.

So we walk a tightrope—holding onto hope as we move forward, step by step until we get to solid ground where we KNOW things can be better, where we KNOW we can be happy, where we KNOW that we are strong enough to achieve whatever it is we want to achieve—because it is happening in our lives NOW.

With luck, we find companions who will make this journey with us--treating us with kindness and respect, acknowledging our strength and courage and wisdom (because it DOES take strength and courage and wisdom to survive!)AS WELL AS understanding the hurt and fears we carry inside.

I’d like to share with you something someone sent to me:

http://www.meditativemovies.com/MayYouBeBlessed.htm

It is a short video and embodies so much of what I wish for all of us.

Sending blessings and safe and gentle (((((((hugs))))))),
April_optimist