Moving Forward…Slowly, but Surely…

I have been going to Good Grief…a six week grief group. It is based upon the book by that name by Granger E. Westberg. He lists stages of grief…which I cannot list at the moment because I cannot get my hands on my book in this mess we call “home”.  I don’t mind because I am grateful to finally have a house to live in!

Oh, never mind…here is the book. Ten stages of grief, listed as chapters:
Stage One: We Are in a State of Shock
Stage Two: We Express Emotion
Stage Three: We Feel Depressed and Very Lonely
Stage Four: We May Experience Physical Symptoms of Distress
Stage Five: We May Become Panicky
Stage Six: We Feel a Sense of Guilt about the Loss
Stage Seven: We Are Filled With Anger and Resentment
Stage Eight: We Resist Returning
Stage Nine: Gradually Hope Comes Through
Stage Ten: We Struggle to Affirm Reality

We have discussed stages one through seven in group. What an interesting time it has been. I have not only been sharing about my mother/parents, but also about other losses I have/am experiencing. I was hoping to write more about it, but I have been very busy. It has not helped that I have had to share my laptop and I still don’t have a separate place set up where I can concentrate on my writing.

However, I will keep on trying…plugging along as I can! It is really helpful that AR already knows my history and has an idea of the issues involved with my parents. What a sick family I come from. I am trying to create a healthy family in the present.

It is late here and I must be getting to bed. I will be back. I realize it may seem as if I have fallen off the planet, but I have not. Besides…I can’t. I have to get ready to give another Survivorship Webinar in August…on journaling!

Emailed Mother…

Why? Good question. Perhaps I am simply a permanent optimist? Perhaps I am just always hopeful that something might have changed? Perhaps I am just plain nuts? Or even stupid?

I am not really expecting anything different this time. I am just making sure I am doing what I can do.

I am tired. The email from my father that was not supposed to get to me…the one that was supposed to be blocked…told me the criteria for us having a relationship. They call the shots…not me. Plus…we let them talk without interference with our youngest son and without us listening in. Hubby and I won’t do that. We just can’t.

I would actually be willing to let them talk to him…but only if we listen in. I am not telling them that, of course. I am not that stupid. I know it is all about him and them and not about me. I don’t count. I am unimportant…period. Such is my life. I am deemed worthy by others, but not by them.

Their loss.

More on the Parents…

So…what person blocked two email addresses for her father and then forgot to hit “save”? Duh! Me, of course!

In my previous post, I share how I had written my father giving him four things he can do to prove to me that I should believe what he writes. I also informed him that I was blocking his email addresses and would consider unblocking them IF he did those four things. I informed him that he would have to write to my hubby, if he was going to write.

I was shocked when I got a response within a day! That is a fast response from a man who usually takes so long to respond to anything that I figure he is ignoring me. I was also shocked that it came to ME. That is who I discovered that I did not save my email blocking. I did immediately block them again and made sure that I saved it this time. However, I was left with the quandary of what to do with it.

It was NOT written to my hubby’s email, which tells me that he must think I do not have the guts to block him. Maybe that is why he responded so fast? Perhaps, he wanted me to read it before I blocked him. Oh, well…tough cookies, mister!

I did not read it because I should have never even received it. Instead, I had hubby read it…just so we could see how he responded. It was the same old stuff. I wanted to reconnect, but it was going to have to be in HIS terms…period. Oh, well. His loss. I had hubby forward it to himself and delete from my email. There was no way I wanted it sitting in my account tempting me to read it…and possibly get hooked into responding. Besides, I meant it when I wrote that I would be blocking him.

There is more. I emailed him on the 19th. I talked to my mother-in-law on Christmas. She told me there are letters addressed to my son from my father. I told her to mail them to me. It is possible that my father is meeting one, or even two, of the four criteria, but it is ALL four or no go. The third one deals with my sister. The fourth one deals with me, but I actually kind of gave him an out I wish now I had not given him. We will see what happens.

 

Maybe…It’s My Parents…(trying again)…

OK…so I decided to try calling my parents around the end of September. To recap, my mother had emailed me to tell me that she was dying of melanoma. I had responded immediately. She had said that she wished we could visit. I told her we don’t live close enough and we have no funds to go to her. I did, however, offer to call if she turned her caller ID off and gave me her current number. No response.

I finally decided to give the last number we had for her a try. When you look it up it says it is a cell phone, but apparently it is not. Cell phones don’t have extensions.

The call was not very long. I told her that I decided to try that number even though she had not gotten back to me. She apologized. She said that she had a whole long email written up but that she was nervous (or something) about sending it because she did not want to get angry. I did not ask her to clarify. (I am not stupid…or at least not totally.) I decided to let it go.

She asked if our son remembered that he was their little precious. I told her that I know he knows they love him, but she wanted to know about that specifically. I was trying to think if he did and she said it was OK if he didn’t. After all, he had been so young. I told her I did not know for sure.

The whole conversation felt pretty weird. It was also hard to get used to the sound of her voice. Apparently, the melanoma is in her throat. Sometimes she has no voice at all. I could tell it was her, but she sounded very different. I don’t know if that helped or made it harder.

There were moments of silence, especially when my father was on the phone. (She did ask if it was OK to put him on.) She cautiously asked questions about our location. I could tell she was trying not to stir anything up. I would say the conversation, if you could call it that…went “OK”. My father interrupted at one point because she was supposed to be leaving right away for an appointment. As she was hanging up, she said that my calling meant a lot to her…or something to that effect.

Then she said something about loving everyone in the family. Typically, she writes something (on the rare occasions that she actually does write) about loving my son. She might write something about loving the whole family, but it is typically all about my son. This time she said “everyone in the family”. I thought about how to respond. I almost let it go, but I didn’t. I allowed myself to be vulnerable.

I told her I was glad to hear her say that and that it was the closest I remembered her coming to actually saying she loved ME. She responded that she had told me that many times over the years. I told her it had been years since I had heard it. It was always about my son and I felt pushed aside. I don’t know whether she heard the catch in my voice, but she actually said “you’re right. And there is a reason for that. I want to explain it to you. I want you to know.” Or something VERY close to that. I was stunned.

I told her I would like to talk further and told her to email me and let me know when is a good time for me to call. I said that I loved them both and always had. I had said it more than once during the call, but I never really felt like I got an acknowledgment of that.

I did not hear from her. So, three days after the call, I emailed both of my parents. I told them I was glad we had the opportunity to talk a bit. I shared that it felt somewhat awkward,  but that it was to be expected. I told them I really do love them both, and always have, in spite of our disagreements. I also wrote that I cannot pretend that the disagreements never happened…nor can I deny what I know. However, I am willing to try to work around those things in an effort to reconnect on some level. I signed it love.

That was about two weeks ago. Nothing. Again…I try to be understanding. I mean…hey…she is battling cancer…again. She does not need upsets right now. On the other hand…she said this is no time to quibble. My guys were gone when I called. Does she figure it will be that way again? Does she not want to talk to me? I don’t know. I can think of questions to ask until the cows come home. The fact is I am not in her mind and I have no idea what either of them are thinking or feeling. I just know that I feel disconnected from them and have for many years. I do not remember a time of feeling close to my mother. Not sure I do with my father, either. So much of my childhood is shrouded in a fog of amnesia.

I am SO tired. I have been fighting to keep alert and going. It is difficult to focus. I have been interrupted so many times in writing this…but what else is new? I’ll be OK.

 

Cruelty and Healthy Boundaries…

What my mother has done is cruel. I keep trying to empathize and to understand her pain. But not matter how much I empathize…no matter how much I forgive…it still hurts like hell. I am the unwanted daughter. I did not step up to the plate. I did not take over. I stepped out of line. I left. I have no desire to be a princess other than in the One True Creator God’s kingdom.

I will never live up to her expectations. Her expectations (and his) lead to death. I have chosen a different path. If they do not want me…they can forget my son. I was actually willing to let them talk to him on the phone, but if they don’t want me…forget it. That is not being selfish…it is being real. It is not being vindictive…it is setting boundaries…healthy boundaries.

Boundaries are not OK in the cult. My whole life I had no boundaries. I did not know where I ended and other people began. I was trained to be a chameleon…to anticipate others needs/wants. Those in the cult who knew the trigger words and actions could get anything they wanted. NO MORE!!

I was accessed by a “Christian” therapist after we moved here. He had experience with cult clients. Little did I know that he was not only cult himself…but that we had met many years ago. It ends here…and now! I will not kowtow to my parents. I will not kowtow to anyone but my Lord…and He does not ask me to. He lifts my head to look into His eyes so that I can see His healing love.

I hurt. I am angry. I do not deserve to be treated this way. Even IF I had been the worst daughter on the planet…rather than simply and imperfect one…I do not deserve this. I have reached out via email for a year and a half. It has gone nowhere. I tried. My conscience is clear. I have done what I can. It is their loss. They can blame me all they want…but they have a part in this. I am an adult. I will not submit to them or to their control. I will not go back to the way things were.

So I will continue to mourn what was and I will mourn what never was. I will mourn the dream of having a somewhat regular family. I will keep my heart open until there is nothing left…and at that point…I will mourn for what will never be. I have dreams. I have always had dreams. Many of them are just broken dreams…turning to dust beneath my feet. Oh, well.

I have survived. I will survive. Nay…I will thrive! In spite of how hard my life is right now…I have more freedom than I ever did living under their control. The Creator has given me the gift of who I am…all of me. I am His…and no one else’s…no one’s.

I hope we can make peace before she dies…same with him. But if it does not happen…I refuse to beat myself up with guilt that is not mine.

Webinar & Stresses

I am using an old backup laptop that is very slow. Twice the video driver has decided it won’t work right. So, then I have to reboot. I am limited as to what I can keep open simultaneously, so I have to open and close programs to check my emails, blogs, FB, etc.

Yesterday, I spent several hours working on my Webinar presentation. I still have so much to do and, with the two best laptops both off on warranty issues, I am wondering what computer I will use during the Webinar. It just might be the loaner my hubby is using because I sure can’t take a chance on the video driver going out on this one in the middle of the Webinar.

This is my first time making a power point presentation, so that is also adding to my stress level. I have it pretty much figured out…but I am frustrated by the fact that I cannot set some defaults to save me some time. I am using Open Office and maybe the MS program has something Open Office does not. Or maybe I am just too unfamiliar with the program to get it figured out. I did get to upload what I had already worked on into the dimdim site and play around with it. Thank you, Bonnie, for that help! So now I can at least rest easy on that. I know how it will work.

Still…there is so much to do between now and August 21. I know I will get it done. It is just extra challenging on this laptop. I am still working on picking out specific art pieces and I still need to get my notes off of some of them. And there are some life issues going on that are rather triggering for me. OK…never mind that. As usual…I am understating. I am going to break through the hiding and cover-ups and say that I am VERY triggered. My PTSD has been a battle for months now and it is really soaring right now.

Interrupting this blog post with a bulletin: I just lost it with my husband…who is also under a lot of stress due to our living situation. He is trying to understand, but sometimes it feels so hopeless. I know he loves me…I don’t doubt that. I know that things will get better when we leave this living situation, but I also know that it will bring another set of challenges. I know that because I have been there before. But at least I will be able to hide more easily if I need to do so.

We Got Together…

The other couple came over and we all just walked around the land and talked and shared the latest about our situation. It was good. If I heard correctly, they are looking to be friends…which would be wonderful for us…and, hopefully, for them. I know it can be hard for pastors to find friends when they relocate to a congregation. It is much easier to be friends with someone who is outside…like us. So, just maybe, this will be good for them and for us.

Hubby went to a bible study with him that evening and our son and I went to visit with the wife and her daughters. We all enjoyed it. I got to go see the new house they are trying to buy. We are excited for them. They “get it” that our living situation does not keep us from enjoying other people’s blessings. Not at all. We just enjoy being able to get together.

I hope we can get into something within the next few months so that we can invite them over and be able to do more with them.

I am hopeful.

Reaching Out…

Previously, I wrote about trying to get hold of a couple to try and find some kind of in person (3D) support. Well, I did finally get her on the phone. I had pretty much decided how I wanted to approach it. Did that happen? Nope! Instead, I started off faltering and ended up just spilling things out. She was very caring as I told her I was losing it.

Her husband was not home at the time or else, she said, she would have come right over. So, she prayed for me and said that she would talk to him and get back to me the next day. I told her I had no idea how we would work this out. They are not close, location wise, and we are not members of their congregation. (He is a pastor.)

After pouring my heart out over the phone, I definitely felt better. It was a couple of days ago that I talked to her and, although I have not heard back from her, I do know her heart. I had told her I did not want to be a bother and she had assured me I was not. And I believe her. She knows our living situation and, like everyone else, cannot imagine how we do it. She knows it is extremely stressful.

What is really amazing to me is that I would normally be fretting like crazy at not hearing back from her. I would have all the old tapes playing about not being a bother…not taking up people’s time, etc. This time, though, instead of fretting at not hearing from her the next day, I am able to contentedly rest…knowing that there is a reason she is not getting back to me…a reason that I believe has nothing to do with me.

They may not be the ones the L-rd has for me (and my family)…and, if that is the case, it is OK. At least being able to talk to her did help me to feel like someone else knows some of what is going on and cares about me…about my family. It helped me to feel heard and to let off some of the stress.

Changing a Title and Some Frustrating News

Sometimes, when we write posts, at the bottom there will appear two or three links to “related posts”. Now…imagine writing a post about an unethical therapist. Imagine looking in the “possibly related posts” that automatically show at the bottom of your post and seeing one that links to a blog written by one of the therapist’s forum moderators! I have no control over what links show there.

I recently wrote a post and discovered to my horror that very thing. One of the links went to a post written on a blog by someone who I have been told is one of KB’s forum moderators. I had read her post previously and also checked out a few other posts. The way she writes about others is just plain rude, mean and spiteful. Then again…considering who her therapist is…I guess I really shouldn’t expect anything else, should I?

Anyway, the LAST thing I want is to lead people to her or her therapist. So, I changed the title of the post. Well…that didn’t do it. The related links kept coming up. Then I realized that simply changing the title would not do it if I left the link unchanged. So, I changed the link, too. That did it. Then I thought…well…let’s put the title back to what it was, but leave the link changed and see what happens. Bingo!

Now it no longer is connected to such an awful blog. Yay! I have shown that particular post to others to give them an idea of what I was up against with KB. They read it and were absolutely appalled, too.

Anyway…we got some discouraging news today regarding our fence. It appears that the laws are weird and we the best thing we can do may be to acquiesce to the neighbors wishes. *sigh* I guess this is just another one of life’s lessons. I have to work through my feeling of powerlessness. We have more information to get, but it is not looking good. Our neighbor appears to have us over a barrel.

Rough Days

The last few days have been rough. Stuff is happening in life that make things harder. We came home to find a barbed wire fence across our driveway. While it is on the border of the two properties, we share an easement. So, now we have to use a second driveway that is on our land that we have not finished. It is very rough, but we can get in and out. Delivery people can’t…but we can.

It is just one of a few things that have made the last few days difficult. I feel very vulnerable. We have been good neighbors…yet, we have had a “feeling” about this guy ever since we first met him when he bought the property next door.

The fence…barbed wire. I think one of the problems is the barbed wire. It feels so barbaric. I think of the Constantine wire they used on the fence top of the freemason camp not too far from where we last lived…the camp that Matty remembers from when we were in our teens.

The fence…blocking our easy ingress and egress…feeling violated. Sharing in good faith…allowing him to use our creek crossing to get to his separate meadow. Him walking our land and putting in stakes without permission and without us saying anything to him. I feel violated.

He lies. I HATE lies!!!! Says he had a survey done…but there is none registered with the county. It could be he did not register…however, he also could not show the paperwork to the sheriff. He showed a plat map to the fencer implying it was the needed paperwork. It is not. The fencer is now backing off after we showed him that it was just a plat map. The plat map shows the easement.

Angry words…on both sides. Incredulity on ours. Jive on his. Lies and false accusations to try to justify his actions. But they don’t…justify his actions. He just looks petty. We are talking about a tiny corner of his land…a tiny corner…barely big enough to hold our van. The rest of the driveway is on our land.

Stupidity…because of the easement, he could actually insist on having free use of our creek crossing. Now he has no access because he put a fence up. That is OK. We actually like the fence and he is paying for it. But we want it on the right line. He is paying big bucks to get a crossing put in. Good!

The fence…separation. Sometimes separation is a GOOD thing…like now.

Words…our place is an eyesore. We supposedly have money to fix it up. Yeah, right. That is why my guys are working on the driveway and crossing with shovels and 5 gallon buckets rather than renting a loader to move the rock and gravel. My guy has been unemployed. Neighbor thinks we should sell motorcycles to get money. Yeah right. Mine has not run since before we moved onto the land and hubby’s needs a tire we cannot afford. It is not like he has seen us out riding them around.

Attempted justification…just like the abusers. Always “good” reasons for what they do. Liars! It is all about control and manipulation.

This guy and his wife are lost people. We have the Creator to turn to. Our heavenly Abba comforts us. Who do they have? We pray for them.

Ugly fence…barbed fence…a reminder of how lost they are. A reminder to pray for them and show love to them anyway. If it is legal…I will hang pretty ribbons on fence “to keep our chickens on our side”…but really…to make a thing of beauty out of a thing of ugliness. I will make it beautiful. When I have money…I will plant pretty shrubbery on the fence line. Or flowers.

Ugliness…to beauty. Ugly fence to beautiful fence. Ugly attitude on one side of fence…beautiful attitude on this side…as best we can.

He is hurting himself more than he is hurting us. We have the L-rd to turn to. We have an inner joy that he cannot steal.

The days have been rough. It has felt like darkness closing in as I have been overwhelmed. It amazes me how it can overtake me. PTSD has been triggered. After we came home to the fence I found I could not type…constant mistakes. An my words…they kept getting mixed up…both in typing and verbally. Very triggered.

Then came the darkness closing in…between that and all the other things going on in life. Deep inner sense of spiritual peace…but emotional darkness. It seems like a contradiction…a paradox. Yet it is there. I know who I am. I know in Whom I trust. Yet…emotionally I can be falling into a dark hole. The way it overtakes makes me wonder if it is something that is being triggered…like a program…rather than merely the emotional fallout of recent events. I don’t know. I am just here for the ride…and hanging on.

This year the anniversary of my sister’s death actually effected me less. She died on my birthday. I still have my moments of grief. This year was better…or perhaps I was too distracted by neighbor’s meanness? Or maybe it was both. I don’t know.

So, here I am. I am going to have to stop writing and go to bed. Our living situation pretty much forces me to follow someone else’s sleep schedule. It is really wearing me out. It is no one’s fault…but I feel captive to someone else’s way of living. We do try to compromise…he tries very hard. But when you have one little living space shared by all…well…he needs more sleep than I do. There is no other room to go into. So…I try not to go completely insane in the process. I keep trusting and hoping that we will get out of this soon. It has been over 4 years.

Poem and Filing a Complaint

I wrote this in November, 2009. At the time, I was seriously working on a complaint against KB…the unethical therapist I wrote about previously in my blog. I ended up putting the complaint aside…not because I did not think I could win. Actually, I probably could. I have the benefit that she was not actually my therapist…having had only one phone call with her. Most of my interaction was through her online forum with a few emails. She did things that are easier to prove than if I were actually a client.

No…I pulled back because I figured it was not worth it. At first, I drove myself because I knew others were filing against her. I felt that I had to do this to help keep her from hurting others. I was told that Ross, too, had filed against her on behalf of some of her former clients. Again…I pushed myself, figuring that I would add my voice…you know…weight in numbers.

Then I got to thinking about it. I was paying a price in trying to write it up. It had to be done carefully. I am a very busy person with enough of my own stuff on my plate. As survivors, we each have to learn to protect ourselves. I cannot be a protector for others. I can support them. I can point out what to watch for…which is why I wrote the article on internet safety for Many Voices. The longer version is on my blog starting here.

I want to help others find ways to stay safe…even from unscrupulous therapists…through my blog…through articles…through being here to answer questions. KB will answer to G-d someday for all she has done…just as I will for all I have done in my life. I pray that she gets it together and stops hurting people. I know who I am. I know the truth. So does she and so does G-d. For now…that is enough.

Anyway…part of what I was experiencing, too, was a taking back of who I am. This poem is part of that process.

Flower

I am Flower!

Standing tall.

Standing strong.

Bending in the wind,
but not breaking.

I am Flower.

Speaking truth.

Offering peace.

Sharing hope.

I am Flower.

The delicate scent of my joy
may be temporarily
misplaced by the storm,
but it always returns
to be wafted along
upon gentle breezes.

I am Flower!

Beautiful.

Delicate.

Enduring.

I am Flower.

Blooming.

Growing.

Healing.

I am Flower!

©2009

What to Do With Anger?

I am writing. I have a poem I have been working on that I hope to finish in the next day or two at most. Tomorrow I am busy, but on Wednesday at least, I hope to finish it and give it to the one I need to communicate with. I think a poem might help get the message across in a somewhat neutral way. I hope. It is a “group” effort and I will post it here on the blog when I am done.

For me, I try to use anger as a catalyst. I try to find creative ways to express it…even when I find myself limited by my situation. I can only go so long feeling as if I am trapped in someone else’s schedule…forced to live in an environment that is so not suited to what I have been created to need. It is only my Abba who sustains me/us.

I will keep on hoping for change…and for it to be fairly soon. Right now, there are no signs of anything happening and we have no control over it. We have to trust our heavenly Abba. I know that a few of you readers know who I really am and you can see from what I write in other places what is going on…or not going on as the case may be.

Trust…it is all about trust. A lot of that trust has to do with knowing that my Abba will bring me through this…all of me. I hope to write more tomorrow or Wednesday.

I Feel – Poem

In Triggers and Blow-ups and Talking About Things, I wrote about feeling like I have to hide. The following poem, written in February of 2009, reflects some of that feeling.

I Feel

Trapped. Trapped. Deep inside.
It feels like I have to hide.

The very truest part of me
is tied into a box you see,
always remaining on the shelf,
always covering my core self.

Some are living their lives outside
in a world so vast and wide.
There are others who are caught
in space internal – the land of naught.

A puzzle with pieces you can’t see,
you’ll never meet the whole of me.
With pieces not allowed to show,
I’ve pieces with no place to go.

It feels like I have to hide.
Trapped. Trapped. Deep inside.

copyrighted 2009

My Place In This World & Coping with Social Situations!

I was reminded recently of a Michael W. Smith song called “My Place in This World”. That song has always touched my heart…for I have always struggled to feel as if I really fit in anywhere.

As a daughter of the Most High G-d, I am secure as to my place in my heavenly Abba/Father’s kingdom…of my place in the spiritual realm. Yet…even with that security, there are times when I feel so disconnected from everyone and everything that I even experience some doubts about that. Thankfully, I do regain my perspective and the doubts do pass.

When it comes to this world, though, to the people around me…I rarely feel as if I belong. I almost always feel out of place…as if I am on the outside looking in.

In The Cost of Reality, I share how I used to feel almost all the time. For a huge part of my life I rarely, ever felt comfortable or a real part of a group.  I hated going any place where there were a lot of people I did not know. I was almost panic-stricken the first day of school every year. I was that way with any new place or any new event.

Now I only feel the intensity of it if I get a particular program triggered. However, that does not mean that I feel comfortable around people and social events. I do…but I don’t. I have had to learn how to work my way around these kinds of things. Otherwise, I would be totally isolated.

One thing I do is try to get to events early. When I get there I try to connect with someone who is a part of the event and even offer to help in some way if I am up to it. If nothing else, I learn my way around and help to welcome others that come. By being one of the first ones there, I sort of make myself a part of what is going on. That does not solve it all, but it does make it a whole lot easier.

If I show up after a whole bunch of people are there…I feel lost. Unless I come with another person, or plan to meet another person there, I will typically feel very uncomfortable.  I will be uncertain where to sit…wondering if I am intruding upon some group of friends. I am very aware of cliques.  It seems like, in so many places, you have families and friends who have known one another for a long time. Where do I fit into that?

So…another thing I do is look for someone else who seems to be alone. The other person is usually grateful that I did and we end up having a rather enjoyable time together. I may never see that person again…but for those few hours we enjoyed one another’s company.  I have had many good laughs at tables where none of us women knew anyone else at the table.

I also try to smile a lot at people…just to see how they respond. They ones who light up at my smile, I keep an eye on. If it seems like they are open, I will walk up and talk to them…and find out if they are alone or not. That helps, too.

Sometimes, I just have to focus on what is going on and go through it. If programming is triggered, that is when it is the worst. I just have to accept that I am not in a frame of mind where I can truly trust anyone. I just need to smile, be pleasant and get through it.

Sometimes I experience an impending sense of doom that I cannot connect to any person or place or event. It is just a feeling I walk around with. That, too, makes it difficult in social situations. I keep wondering if I have somehow blown it…somehow said or done something wrong. I have learned that I just have to ride it out if I cannot find a legitimate reason for it.

So, I have all sorts of struggles with social settings…unless I am in the midst of giving it. Yet…I can speak and sing without too much difficulty. Or at least I once could. It has been a long time since I have done it. In fact, since I started realizing the truth about my history and my makeup I have not really pursued it. There is a difference between being up in front of a group and being down within the group. I had a therapist who was the same way. She could teach a class…no problem. But as a student…she was actually rather shy. It is a matter of being in my element.

Being Triggered and Shame

I hate being triggered, especially when I feel shamed. I have not really felt shamed for a long time, but I sure felt it tonight. Oh, it wasn’t intentional. I know it wasn’t…but that does not change the way I felt…or my struggle. I ended up flashing back right into the old pain…as if I’d never left. It raised all kinds of fears that I had to fight back down…but the biggest thing was the shame.

I felt as if all the old systems were back in place. It was like being in a double bind…lose/lose…no way to win. It sends me reeling and all sorts of other programming gets triggered right along with it. This makes two very significant triggerings within about a month. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to be able to discuss it with the one who did the triggering…not yet at least. It is really hard because I know he did not mean it. I know he loves me very much and would never want to hurt me.

Maybe I will come back to this. For now…I just wanted to get it out.