Posted by sassyfrancesca on July 17, 2008, at 10:15:38
In reply to Why do people persevere?, posted by Dinah on July 16, 2008, at 23:46:04
I cannot answer for other people, but for me I must persevere; giving up isn't in my nature.
I call myself an overcomer and wounded-healer, and am so resilient. If I were not, I might be drooling in a corner somewhere.
Case in point: Grew up with a mentally and physically violent mother; never knew my father; extreme poverty: No phone, car, refrigerator or bathroom; molested by a drunken neighbor; had my hand held over an open fire by another drunken neighbor. Lived in a 120-year old tenement house w/cockroaches and rats, etc., etc.
Joined the army right out of high school. "Married" my original abuser (mother) and tried to fix the past. After 31 years of abuse, got a divorce....then experienced a kind of abuse I'd never heard of:
Spiritual (abuse) my church of 31 years voted me out of membership, with my name up on a big screen, followed by the words: "Conduct Unbecoming a Child of God." I fought the system for 18 months...the end result? www.churchabusepoetrytherapy.com
In other words, I have always been able to make something positive come out of the ugliness of a lifetime of abuse.
I've written my memoir
Published in a psychiatric journal
Counsel abused women
Started school at age 61 and won a scholarship
For 10 years have been trying to get the message out there regarding verbal abuse. It affects 1 out of every 3 women in the country.
Joined the American Counseling Association and went to the Convention in Hawaii alone.
Submitted my paper on verbal abuse for next year's convention at the urging of the executive editor.
etc., etc.....why do I persevere? What is my alternative? Giving up. It is not part of my personality.I am now (being in a financial crisis) trying to get a counseling website going to bring in money so i won't starve, LOL.....I will call myself an Advocate for the emotionally abused. It is scary, but I have to do something.
Hugs, Sassy
I think people persevere because the alternative is so much worse. The human race would die if we didn't keep on keepin' on!
The most amazing perseverence I ever heard of was about my ancestor, Captain Sam (America's Oldest Bravest Soldier); he was 86 whe he fought the British; killed 3 of them; they beat him, stabbed him, shot off half his face, and he lived to be 97 years old!
poster:sassyfrancesca
thread:840086
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20080702/msgs/840150.html