itsjust4fun, I know what you mean about others thinking it's all so tragic. I've been involved in many public speakings, support groups etc. for raped and battered women. And everytime I tell stories of my past people instantly start crying, hugging me and telling me how sorry they are. I tell them, what are you sorry for? If it weren't for those experiences I wouldn't be who I am today, I wouldn't be here helping others in the same or worse situation. Yes, the things I went through were tough, but like you I made it through it alive, and that's alot more than some can say and that I'm proud of. Like I tell the women who have been in bad situations and contemplating suicide, stop being a victim and letting them win and start being a survivor. I often do motivational speaking and often get in their faces. Some are too sensitive or scared to do that, I'm not. If you are not on the right track I will get in your face and tell you what you can do about it. Some have called me cruel for it, but then a year or so later, I have women coming up to me and I don't even recognize them because they changed so much, and they tell me "I hated you for what you said to me, I hated you so much I wished you dead" I normally smile and say "it's only the good ones that die young, me, I'll end up living 100 years" then they say "but now I want to thank you with all my heart, everything you said was exactly what I needed to hear, you only know how to love toughly, and that's what I needed." and normally they have changed their lives completely for the better. It does often get irritating when you tell your story and people start crying and feel sorry for you, that is never my intention when telling someone about myself, I just want them to know me, learn from my mistakes, and appreciate the good in their life. To know it could always be worse. And you have to be grateful for what you do have or it will never get better. I lead a good life now, sure it's not perfect, but perfection is boring. I have a healthy and beautiful son, and a loving husband. I have 2 cats and a dog I love, and I live in a good place. There is never a day I go without something now. And my son will never experience that as long as I breathe. And yes stress does more to the body than most people know, which is why I will always be a short little feisty woman
haha