Call Me Survivor

Since I began this blog a year ago, there have been a few people who have expressed amazement at my courage to speak my truth. Yet, I don’t see it as being courageous. For me, this blog and all I speak of within it are my truth. They are my life, past and present. These are the words of a survivor and a warrior.

In truth, it has not been easy sometimes to tell of my past.  There are some who would call me a liar, or say I misrepresent the truth.  But, these are people who saw my life from the outside.  And, even from an outside perspective some have told me things didn’t appear normal.  However, I stand firm in my story for it is mine.  We don’t all react the same way to the identical stimulus.  What was minor for one person, may be a major heartache for another.

Life isn’t peaches and cream for most of us. In our lives many sorrows come and go. It is in how we deal with these that determine if we are a victim or a survivor. We may not be able to fault someone for feeling victimized knowing what they have been dealt from the deck of Life. But, how much more do we admire them when they can be strong and fight through to become instead a survivor?

Among those who have expressed pride in my ability to come forth are others whose lives have been worse than my own. They found their own ability to thrive and survive. Each of us does it in different ways. But, I believe from our experiences we have all learned the gift of compassion.

Once I began to tell my story in the little posts on this blog, I find I can’t stop myself. The words start to flow through my fingers, and with them, my pain. It is in telling the story that I find the healing I have been searching for.

So, when I am asked how I can be so outspoken about being a survivor, I explain there are two main reasons which keep me going. The first of these is the healing that I receive in writing it out of myself. The pain is an energy that I can transfer into my writing and remove it from my body.

And the second reason I write is for those who need to know they aren’t alone. There is a survivor out there who will read my words and recognize himself or herself. I hope that in reading these posts he or she will find the courage to begin a path to healing too. We are sisters and brothers in a club we would prefer not to belong to. Yet, each survivor is always the first to offer solace and courage to those who need that little step up to begin a journey of healing. We have all been there.

Are you a survivor? Have you suffered through things in your past you would rather forget? These are the things which need healing. Release them from your past. You can write them out and burn the pages. Turn to art and paint or sketch your emotions. Don’t hold space for them any longer. Release them in some way. It is painful to face them and deal with them. But once they are gone, you are free.

If anyone would love to share his or her story of the different methods used to heal, I would love to hear it. You are welcome to share your story here on The Write Empath for everyone to read and know. Be proud that you are a survivor! Boast about it! Shout it to the trees, if you must, because it took a lot of courage and pain to become the survivor you are today.

This particular post was written for my friend P. I don’t want to out him but he will know who he is when he reads this. And know, my friend, that your words touched me much more than you will know. Our paths first crossed so many years ago in grade school, and life has takes us both down many different roads. And now, when I needed the strength and courage and motivation, you know just what to say to bring those gifts to me. Thank you!