WARNING! This post deals with serious subject
matter.
This personal story of Survivor-ship, expressed through a dance tribute video for a young man’s father, engages the viewer to step inside the world of suicide and loss. The message offers us Hope – a glimpse of what it is like to continue to exist, shining light into the corners of our broken hearts. 💔
As a survivor of many battles, I dedicate this
post/video to those who have tragically lost their own fight and those who have
triumphed after tragedy.
“You can change someone’s life in three minutes
with the right song.”
~ Bruce
Springsteen (who has had a lifelong battle with depression)
When I began to compile the sections of this post,
I was faced to acknowledge my own demons that thankfully, I give glory to God
that I survived. Yet everyday is indeed a battle. However, living with my
mental health imperfection is the least of my concerns. After twenty years of
proper diagnosis, I manage it…not the other way around. In looking at the
checklist of my over coming’s, it is the invisible wounds I carry upon my body
that are only visible to my Creator.
Last week, I read about a school in the Okanagan
who instead of building a platform to openly talk about our scars, they chose
to cover it up.
Despite a Grade 9 Penticton student’s academic grades and exemplary school conduct, she was forced to sign a letter stating she would adhere to wearing long sleeves, while attending classes. Facing expulsion, the student agreed to the unusual requirement, to hide her self- harm scars. The letter was given so as to avoid creating an unwelcome environment to other students.
What the school had not counted on was the massive support of the student
from her peers with a petition, who felt it is important not to further shame
others, for having scars. Another organizer, Oliver Jansen, said the students
are hoping to invoke change in the conversation about self-harm, and said it's
harmful if students are forced to feel like they need to hide their situation.
Source: Colton Davies
Last night, I watched a documentary on the “Freedom
Riders”— Civil rights activists who chose to enter in the heart of darkness—the
south, on Greyhound buses to stand up against hatred. Afterwards, I could not
shake the awful notion that racism in 2018 is alive and thriving.
As I mull over this past year, I see a theme of openness
that continues to envelop our world. Clandestine encounters once kept in the shadows
of Hollywood have come to light, yet the staggering accusations have muddled
some of the truths.
Nevertheless, the rising of voices have gained
support in ways of a tattoo, signifying the end of an era of being told to hush-
hush.
Link to the Fire Rose Unity Survivor Tattoo and
what it symbolizes:
On February 28th, I will again take
part in PINK Shirt Day. Shirts and bracelets can be purchased at London Drugs. 100%
of net proceeds are distributed to various organizations that support
children’s healthy self-esteem, both with their peers and themselves. They
teach empathy, compassion and kindness. Funds go to programs that impact over
59,300 children and youth, including the following:
YMCA
Crisis
Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC
Boys and
Girls Clubs of Western Canada
Red
Cross Canada
LOVE BC
About the
Cause:
“David Shepherd, Travis Price and their teenage
friends organized a high-school protest to wear pink in sympathy with a Grade 9
boy who was being bullied [for wearing a pink shirt]…[They] took a stand
against bullying when they protested against the harassment of a new Grade 9
student by distributing pink T-shirts to all the boys in their school. ‘I
learned that two people can come up with an idea, run with it, and it can do
wonders,’ says Mr. Price, 17, who organized the pink protest. ‘Finally, someone
stood up for a weaker kid.’ So Mr. Shepherd and some other headed off to a
discount store and bought 50 pink tank tops. They sent out message to
schoolmates that night, and the next morning they hauled the shirts to school
in a plastic bag. As they stood in the foyer handing out the shirts, the
bullied boy walked in. His face spoke volumes. ‘It looked like a huge weight
was lifted off his shoulders,’ Mr. Price recalled. The bullies were never heard
from again.” — Globe & Mail
All of the above, I have either been directly
affected or a loved one has experienced.
In reading my daily truth from Brave Living, I am reminded of when I expose my secrets to the light, they no longer contain the poison used to keep me silent...
Dear Beloved Soul,
Chances are, you’ve got some messes in your life
that still need a bit of cleaning up…we all do, believe it or not.
It’s not the secrets that are hurting you…it’s
what you tell yourself about the secrets…that if anyone knew them, you wouldn’t
be lovable…and that because you have these secrets, you aren’t worthy of
anything good…that as soon as you are “discovered” for “who you really are”
that it’s all going to come crashing down.
If you’ve got some poison secrets…bring them out
into the light…take their power away…drain them of your poison. Let them just
be stories from your life that taught you, shaped you and gave you wisdom. You
get to be who you are. And you get to do better every day. We are all growing,
learning and becoming every day.
You are so very loved.
xoxo
You are so very loved.
xoxo
By TL Alton
Sobering, inspiring and informative - well done!
ReplyDeleteYour valued words, reflect what I want to convey, about subjects some may consider taboo. When we are dared to move- to share our deepest secrets and present the broken things in our lives, then the scars we have will tell of our courage- rather than of our shame.
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