Owning my story
Brene Brown says that "owning our story is the bravest thing we'll ever do".
Recently, I have started to share my story with people beyond my innermost circle. Doing so has been healing, liberating, and empowering. It has taken me a year to understand, make sense out of, and accept that I live with a disability as a result of the assault, which occurred when I was a little boy and which was violent and entailed arousal amidst the violence. I did not want to believe that this was something that applied to ME. It does. It is my story. And it has been both surreal and a relief to name it out loud and share with others whom I trust what the process of unearthing memory, experiencing flashbacks, having PTSD response to triggers etc has been like. I feel like being able to take this step is a sign of healing. Not resolution, not completion, but some healing.
I am still getting used to owning this as my story. Naming it and owning it has also helped me to see my own resilience, to feel a little newfound pride in who I am, and to ease the burden of self-judgment.
It is some encouragement for what I know is likely to be a lifelong process of putting the pieces together.
Recently, I have started to share my story with people beyond my innermost circle. Doing so has been healing, liberating, and empowering. It has taken me a year to understand, make sense out of, and accept that I live with a disability as a result of the assault, which occurred when I was a little boy and which was violent and entailed arousal amidst the violence. I did not want to believe that this was something that applied to ME. It does. It is my story. And it has been both surreal and a relief to name it out loud and share with others whom I trust what the process of unearthing memory, experiencing flashbacks, having PTSD response to triggers etc has been like. I feel like being able to take this step is a sign of healing. Not resolution, not completion, but some healing.
I am still getting used to owning this as my story. Naming it and owning it has also helped me to see my own resilience, to feel a little newfound pride in who I am, and to ease the burden of self-judgment.
It is some encouragement for what I know is likely to be a lifelong process of putting the pieces together.