I’ve spent the whole last week going through all of my belongings on a tidying up spree, a la the KonMari technique. If you’ve not read “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” get yourself a copy. It’s beautifully written and wonderful to follow. The final step of the KonMari technique is to go through all your “sentimental items” such as keepsakes, mementos, souvenirs, childhood items, photos, and old letters. In going through these things, I came across a shoebox full of letters I’d exchanged with friends in 4th through 12th grade. Eagerly but tentatively I opened the long forgotten box. Real letters! Gosh, I feel old just admitting that I grew up in the early days of email when we still also sent real letters too. What treasures! (and a whole lot of silly nonsense not worth saving). An 11th birthday card from my grandparents. A drawing of a horse from a friend during 6th grade. The funny notes my best friend and I passed back and forth one day in church in some unknown year during elementary school. There were letters from several friends from school who moved away to far off states. Min, Dawn, Jenny (I’d completely forgotten about Jenny!). Also from friends who had never lived close. Abigail, Rosemary, Laura. But then I found the one letter that haunted me for years and years. When I was 16, and my distant friend was 14, I received this one of so many letters. We’d been friends for four years, since Girl Scout summer horse camp where she rescued me from spiders and I her from lizards and the scary night sounds of the forest where we spent a week sleeping under the stars. In those carefree days, we’d bonded over our love of horses and the general goofiness of girlhood. We would visit each other often, despite the hours of driving that our parents had to cross to treat us to a weekend together. But then hard times came for her. Her father committed suicide. Her torn family moved to a bad neighborhood, where gangs roamed and illegal drugs were as easy to get as a Hershey’s bar (or so it seemed to me, from my own sheltered life). In this envelope, there were two letters. “Read this one first!” And “Read this one second!” The second one was written first, and as I read them both (in the instructed order of course) I could see the second was basically a draft for the first. Although she did not write it with that intention, I could see the thoughts of the first which meant the most were expressed again in the second. This sad, sad letter that occupied a place in my mind for so many years... In both versions, she began by imploring my forgiveness and understanding. That she was not “a bad influence” as she was sure my parents would tell me, and “don’t hate” her for what she did. Because, as she explained, it was not her choice. What was this bad thing that she feared would end our friendship that had lasted a quarter of my whole life thus far? She had been raped. She explained to me in the letter that she had lost her “V” as she put it, by a former boyfriend who forced her and then beat her. They were broken up by the time she wrote. I remember being frightened for her when I read it, and I still regret not telling anyone. Clearly she was worried that if my parents found out they would not let us be friends. But I knew this was the sort of thing you were supposed to tell your parents about, because they could help. I never told a soul. But I worried about her for 14 years - while we were still in contact, and for the dozen plus years when we drifted apart, until we reconnected several years ago (when she was the very first to call me after I escaped my abusive husband and help ME see it was not my fault). Now, reading that letter again, it made me sad in a different way. That this young girl felt such shame of what had happened to her, and feared she would be blamed for it. That she thought it was going to make her “a bad influence” and that it might jeapordize our friendship. These fears may not have been realistic, but they were not unusual. This is a reaction I have heard from so many victims of domestic violence and of sexual assault. And it is so very sad that these victims must deal with such fears on top of the other traumas (emotional and physical) of what they have experienced. I know of no solution except to talk about it. To express these things so others know that they don’t need to fear these reprocussions. So they can be assured that we all know it is not their fault.
El aire huele a primavera. Un poco de inspiración y mensajes positivos para empezar la primavera con buen pie
Our Favorite Sayings Vol. 3
Another collection of some of our favourite Inspirational quotes & typography posters. Visit our store for more inspirational typographic wall art. The Serenity Prayer poster Source unknown https://www.etsy.com/listing/115398673/anais-nin-poster http://www.designworklife.com/2014/03/19/student-work-clark
Words have magical power that help make more sense of our thoughts and actions. Here are some expressions you should have in your vocabulary.
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Wisdom is a constant process. No matter how sure of your own wisdom you are, there's something out there left to learn -- that's what the wise would say,
Albert Einstein was many things in his time; famous theoretical physicist, developer of the theory of relativity, father of modern physics. His name today
Having a crush on someone can make you feel like you're walking on air when you're around that person and these 45 crush quotes hit home.
Legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen predicted his own death in a heartbreaking goodbye letter to his ex-love Marianne Ihlen. Cohen and Ihlen met in Greece in the 1960s. She had recently been left by her husband, who took off and left both her and their six-month-old son alone in Greece. Cohen invited them to live with him in Montreal and Ihlem accepted the offer. They quickly became a couple and their romantic relationship lasted for a decade.
The girl suddenly changed because when came back was a completely different person with a new mindset, And Then All Of Sudden She Changed
If you are here from Pinterest looking for quotes, I am in the process of moving them all to my new page about quotes and peaceful videos. You can see the website here: Relaxing vibes & quotes …
Flickr is nothing without you, our community. We want to make sure this community continues to thrive, grow, and inspire, so we've made some big changes.
After almost two years, our beloved Mari Andrew is moving on from Cup of Jo to work on her second book. She will be dearly missed!
People always say life goes on. Nothing stops it but the truth is memories rewind and pauses themselves. It pauses in such a way that pain bursts through your heart like somebody stabbed you or eve…
On Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren attempted to read a letter about Sen. Jeff Sessions, the now-confirmed nominee for attorney general
Learn The Art Of Hand Lettering & Calligraphy Sign up and get FREE instant access to the Lettering Crate - Calligraphy practice sheets Procreate brushes The 30-day lettering planner Printables, and more! Count Me In!
Any introvert would probably love to give or receive these funny and sarcastic Valentine's Day cards.
Ask a hundred designers to tell you what design is and you will get maybe 500 different answers. This is not because the answer is subjective but instead,
Need a little self love? These 15 inspirational quotes will remind of how special you really are.
DON'T BE A WHINY LITTLE SHIT - Linocut print (Some of us need subtle reminders.) This original, hand-pulled linoleum block print was pressed in black on beautiful cotton letterpress paper. The linoleum block is cut by hand, inked, then each linoprint is pressed individually. Due to the printmaking process (which is done entirely by hand), there will be slight variations from print to print. All materials are archival. Wide margins give you room to mat and frame to your liking. This is a great gift! Perfect for every nursery, children's room, classroom, entryway, bedroom, garage, office, business card, dining room, living room, bathroom, art studio, music studio, gallery, vehicles, backpacks, dentist office, law office, etc... •8 x 10 inches (20.3x25.4cm) - standard frame size •Image appx 3x8in •Frame not included •Initialed on the front, Signed on the back •Paper = Cotton Lettra letterpress paper, bright white, 100% cotton ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ✪ SHIPPING ✪ Your print will be carefully packaged and will ship flat in a bend-proof mailer. When purchased with a larger print it ships in a tube. ✪ CUSTOM COLORS ✪ https://www.etsy.com/listing/948476842/one-custom-color-for-one-hand-pressed?ref=shop_home_active_3&frs=1 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• back to shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/thebigharumph ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• +++ s o . h a n d m a d e . i t . h u r t s +++
♫ You’re standing on my neck. ♫
Life can hit hard, so here are 33 inspirational quotes about being stuck in life when it feels like you can't move forward.
Soulsexual (n) a person who is sexually attracted to another's "being"as a whole - their soul.
Design created by kristina. Create & download your own graphic designs about "she needed a hero, so that's what she became", on PixTeller for free.
