Honoring those who helped

Honoring those who helped
AuthenticMe

AuthenticMe

Registrant
Brothers,

Inspired by another post, I am starting this thread to give everyone an opportunity to honor anyone who helped. Maybe it's a teacher, a family member, a friend, a therapist...let's celebrate those who held us (literally and figuratively) when we didn't feel like we had the strength to hold ourselves.

It could have been a single moment or a number of years. There are so many for me, but I'll share one that sticks out.

One night when I was very young, I had trouble falling asleep, and my father's girlfriend (who was like a stepmother to me) came into my room and asked me what was wrong. I had a sheet and a comforter on my bed. I told her that when I put just the sheet over my body, I was too cold, but when I used just the comforter, I was too hot. She suggested that I use them both, a thought that was totally counter-intuitive to me.

I tried it and, to my surprise, fell asleep. It may have been a mind trick, some reality of physics, or the fact that she stayed in the room with me until I fell asleep. She made me feel safe.

I honor her today and every day for caring for that little boy who wanted to fall asleep. May all beings everywhere experience that tenderness and love.

I look forward to your stories.
 
Everyday on my bus to middle school was hell on wheels. I didn't know who might be pushing me around an treating me like dirt one day to the next. Life was not worth living, and that bus ride was one of many reasons why. I was 13 years old.

One time, a girl named Marilyn took pity on me and sat next to me, so that the other kids wouldn't give me crap. For a short time, I had a shield. I had someone who cared enough about me to feel I deserved better than the daily punishment I was getting.

Thank you, Marilyn.
 
for me the obvious answer is everyone here ,the moderaters for running this place ,the people who are kind enough to talk to me about things they won't talk to anyone else about ,the people who listen to horror stories and offer help instead of running away . for me this is the first time in my life anybody listened ,and cared about me, not about what happened to me .
i been waiting a long time for someone, anyone to care. the way i'm treated here is how i always though it would be to have a family ,been waiting a long time for that too . thanks adam
 
I'd like to honor Rob. He befriended me after I became an adult. I was pretty much scared to make friends. He kept after me asking me to sing baritone in a quartet he wanted to start. I consented. He just treated me as if I was the best thing since sliced bread. I couldn't figure it out. Why would someone be so nice unless they wanted something. Well, he did want something. He wanted to be my friend. It made a huge difference in my life. A turning point I think.

Thanks Rob, I love you bud.
 
I would like to honor Jim.

When I was 15, he moved into town. He had a wife and 3 boys the oldest lacked 2 days of being 5 years younger than I. I spent a lot of time at his house. He helped me make leather wallets, I made one for myself and one for my girlfriend but gave it to my sister instead. He gave me the courage I needed to keep on keeping on.

Thanks Jim, you are a very loved hero.

And If I may add one more, I must honor Adam, AKA shadokid.

Adam, I am 31 years older than you but you inspire me. I read your story and see the hell you have been through and how you continue to come out on top. It helps me know that if you can do it, I can too. Thank you so very much for choosing to be part of our family here at MS.

You too are very loved.

Darrel
 
I will add Mrs Murphy and Mrs Farrell to our role of honour.

I would sit on the side of the road on the way home from school to avoid going home. I was five and I would disappear into fantasyland for hours. A few times Mrs M a neighbour found me and gave me biscuits and kindness and a lift home. My mum would be furious and Mrs M would stand up for me saying he is so small, its a very long walk, he was tired, he is a nice boy, it was good to hear that. Mrs M would stay until I went to bed; I assume it was her attempt to shield me from my parents anger. I would have got sent to bed without food as punishment had she not been there. I guess she had a sense of what our family was like.

Another neighbour Mrs F would give us little toys at Christmas, my parents didnt do Santa or gifts. When back at school I had something to show the other children and didnt have to depend on lies as much. I felt ashamed of our family and sensed she gave them to us because she knew we wouldnt have any otherwise. I can still remember at seven the bright red wrapping paper and the joy of opening the gift

Kindness without the ugly strings was rare in my childhood so these gestures were all the more important for me.

Peter
 
mr and ms J

were like parents to me at a time when I was being molested by the father figure

God bless you

only wish I would have told you while it was happening instead of so many years later.
 
I told the following story a long time ago in another thread here. When I was in second grade, I had two girlfriends, Laura and Lisa. They both liked me and I liked them both, so we decided to all 3 be girlfriends and boyfriend (I know, it's weird, but we were 7, o.k.). Anyway, one day at lunch in the cafeteria I mixed my english peas in with my mashed potatoes. I don't know why I did it, just bored or something I guess. The duty teacher saw it and decided to use me as an example. She told me I would have to sit at the table until I had eaten it all.

Now, I didn't like english peas and being reprimanded like this just crushed me. It still does today, any correction and reprimand will just totally destroy me. So I sat there at the table crying, after all the other kids had gotten up and left. But dear sweet Laura and Lisa came back and sat on either side of me. I can still remember Laura saying to me, clear as day "Don't cry, Eddie. We'll eat it for you." And they did. They took turns with the fork eating it for me. It is the absolute nicest thing anyone had ever done for me. When I related this story way back when, someone remarked that what they did was beyond kindness - they were shouldering my burden, and that's a good way to put it. When I was downtrodden, they carried me. I'm not sure if the duty teacher saw it all, but if she did, I'm sure she saw a life lesson as well.
 
Eddie,

What a cool story.

Hmmm.... Unless we become as little children...

John
 
My first debt (there are many) is to my sister Cathie. She is a year and a half younger than me, and we have been best friends since I was about 10. As a kid I was never able to tell her about what was happening to me, but she could sense when I was upset and always had a kind word or some funny antics to pull to make me feel better. By the time I was 12 a year of constant abuse had turned me pretty suicidal, and I often wonder if she was the reason I survived those years.

She was the first person I disclosed to - it was November 2003 - and she has been with me through it all ever since. I call her my "Rock", and man has she ever been one. She even started seeing a T in the USA so she would be better able to talk to me and help me. I disclosed to my parents over Thanksgiving last month, and again Cathie was there for me every day. Just amazing.

Much love,
Larry
 
I hope not to lower the standards here for the good people that were mentioned in the posts above.

But, I would like to honor my dog (recently deceased), Thor

When I was mulling over euthanizing him, I joined a support group for pet owners. petloss.com The idea that there was a support group for grieving pet owners leant the idea to me that there might be a support group for what we're going through.

So if it wasn't for Thor, maybe I never would have met you good people.

Thor was a rottweiler. He was so cool. He was my companion for 10 years. I still find myself talking to him.

Would you members like to see some pictures of him?
 
Well, I didn't intend to post this. Started typing in the wrong window. Must have been distracted cause I hit the "Add Reply" button instead of the "back" button at the top of the browser. Now I have this totaly stupid sounding thing here that I have to erase cause it will make no sense to anybody. And since I don't want to leave things blank, I will leave this here in it's place :o :o :o

Rich, do you have any room for me in the MS Technopeasant catagory?
 
Hauser,

There is an images forum on the members' side. Sure, a thread on "furry therapists" ;) !

Much love,
Larry
 
My animals were sure my biggest help in my young days, God knows how my cat put up with me in bed, crying to her, but she just lay there with me on my pillow, and she was always there.

Animals have always had such a special place in my life, and when my last dog died, I could not face seeing him put to sleep.

I just went out into the fields and cried buckets for such a brave animal, who used to be my constant companion, and true friend.

We would walk for mile upon mile in any weather, and yes he was always the comedian who made me laugh so much when I may have felt down.

ste
 
Ilene, Howard, Dale, Ned, James... I could do this forever but they are the core and I think two of them have no idea how much they helped.

Thanks Gang.
 
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