(no subject)

[serene]

Fifteen years ago today, a man I had never met walked into the 7-Eleven where I worked. Lots of you know this story already, so here's the short version: He came up behind me, stabbed me in the abdomen, raped me, tried to kill me, had a change of heart, and left.

Over the next two years (and since then), I learned more about myself, fear, will, the power of the mind, and the nature of life than I ever wanted or expected to. I learned how to determine who I am. I learned how to identify and ask for what I want. I learned about listening to myself and making my own rules. I learned that no matter who attends our death, we die alone. I decided to also *live* alone -- that is, to be responsible to myself and not God or others for my thoughts, beliefs, and actions.

Some other stuff I learned:

I learned that being stabbed nearly to death, while I would never wish it on someone, does not have to scar me for life.

I learned that bravery is not the absence of fear, but the refusal to let fear run my life.

I learned that for me, introspection is a healing force.

I learned that my fat would not protect me from being raped/harmed.

I learned that if I make unpopular choices, my world will not end.



If you feel like it, I'd love to hear about times in your life when something really hard forced you to learn something really good. I could use some uplifting today.