Red Stories 3

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path.
Proverbs 3: 5-6

Breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe. Repeat.

What do you like about your life today?

It's a simple question to which you used to have an easy answer. In fact, there was a time when the list was endless. You got older and started judging whether or not something was worthy or not to go on the list. There was a time when you would include things like play-do, green crayons, not touching the lines at hop-scotch. And then those things weren't important enough. Lose your judgements. No one is listening but you. God already knows the truth.

What do you like about your life?

Whatever your circumstances are, at some point in your life something made you laugh. Something smelled good. There was someone you loved. Remember that moment. What was funny? What was the fragrance? Who was he? Who was she?
What do you like about your life?

Take a moment to find something beautiful to focus on. Maybe it's the plant on your kitchen table, the rain that is starting to fall, the incense burning, the biscuits cooling. Maybe you've always liked the shape of your lips or the color of your eyes. Go to a mirror and stare at yourself. Pull out a picture of your child and look at his beautiful smile. Look at the ponytails in her hair.

Breathe and remember to exhale. And breathe again. Slowly.

I met a woman who had been in a relationship where she was being abused. She knew it was time to leave (a long time ago.) Before he "let her" go, he beat her one more time. He punched her in the face over and over. By the time he was finished, she was blind. She is an artist and a powerful poet. Still drawing and writing. Still rearing her children and running a successful in home business as a massage therapist and healer. Still cooking. Still dressing fly. Still laughing and telling jokes. Still remembering to be thankful.

What do you like about your life?

National Domestic Violence Hot line 1-800-799-7233
Flint Circuit Council on Domestic Violence / Havenhouse 770-954-9229 McDounough, GA