Over the last few months I started researching abuse on Pinterest. It might sound silly, but a lot of articles with great insight are on there, and I found it was a way to keep them all organized as I educated myself.
For awhile my board "abuse support" was secret. When the divorce was final I decided to make it public because I was tired of being silent. This week, many women I have never met started following that board. It makes me sad that they need to, that there are so many of us out there who know the crushing pain of living in an abusive relationship. But I have felt drawn to these women. I never knew I was passionate about this, but maybe that is because until I experienced it, I wasn't aware there was such a need.
Had someone been able to help me in a real way a year and a half ago, things might not have gotten as bad as they did. Who is to say? I was in such a daze that I needed to be rescued and that is a lot to expect someone else to sense and take care of. In October, my girls rescued me and gave me options. Even then at the height of the chaos, it was really tough to hear that my marriage might be done-I didn't want to face that. And so we separated geographically anyway and I threw myself into counseling to try to heal. I hoped we would work things out. It was not to be, but I know that I fought for us and that has to be enough.
My story is far from over. Looking forward to seeing how I can help someone else down the road.