An Open Letter to Anyone Who Experienced Abuse
Dear Survivor of Abuse:
You didn’t ask to be harmed, yet someone you trusted caused you pain, led you to shame, and said you were to blame. This should never have happened to you. EVER! I’m reminded of my own journey of healing as I continue my reading of The Courage to Heal:A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis. I came across this book in 1988 when it was first published. I continue to read this book as a bible of self-healing and recovery. I highly recommend it to anyone with unresolved abuse issues.
Surviving abuse is a miracle.
Your need to survive is a deep longing of your soul. You can reach in and mend the memories and tame the night terrors. Yes, it will hurt to go through your shattered dreams, but when you do, space will open up to be filled with love and joy. I love this quote from Soledad:
“Don’t run away from it. Don’t bury it. Don’t try to produce a different reality getting all strung out on something, or eating your way through your feelings. Don’t slash your wrists. Just deal with it, because it’s going to keep coming back if you continue to live anyway. It’s painful, but you just have to keep going. It’s part of life, really.”
I wish you love and offer encouragement when you decide that the past is the past and you no longer need pain to feel alive.
