Dear Recent Mass Shooting Survivors — Love, A Fellow Survivor

I’m just letting you know, for a second, that you’re not alone. There’s more of us out here who get it. And when you have a second to breathe by yourself again, come find us. We’ll be waiting for you with open arms. We’ll walk you through.

Doing Something With My Heartbreak

This is my town. These are my people. My neighborhood. And I'm doing something like this because I believe in it. I have never been a person to just believe in something without putting action to my beliefs. This is my way to say, to myself and my community - "You are safe here. We're here with you."

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Let’s Talk… About Gun Control

I've heard so many stories in the past 2 weeks. Stories that I am honored to carry, and that you can go read in the comments of my blog. I've had amazing conversations with people I would have called "the enemy", had I continued to react out of pain. At this point, that means much more to me than being right. I don't want to be on the "right" side of this discussion. I want to truly meet people and hear their heart.

Dear Congress – Sincerely, A Mass Shooting Survivor

I write you this letter so that you can see the face of a survivor. I write you this letter as someone who saw with my own eyes the horror of a mass shooting, a shooting that took the lives of my twin and younger sisters and injured my father in December 2007. And most importantly I write this letter to open a dialogue about the role that gun violence has played in our country.

Wolves

I've been absolutely outraged by Ferguson and the events there, and this is what came out tonight. I felt compelled to share it with you. Excuse my stumbling words; please know that I don't know how to write about this. But I'm trying. I recognize my own privilege and the role that it plays in …

The Patron Saint of Lost Causes (The Day My Sisters Died, Part 3)

If you are just joining in, I invite you to read Part 1 and Part 2, here and here. ------- (St. Jude - The Patron Saint of Desperate Cases and Lost Causes) "If this is salvation, I can show you the trembling. You'll just have to trust me. I'm scared. I am the patron saint …

Alexithymia (The Day My Sisters Died – Part 2)

Trigger Warning: I know several people are reading who have also been through a similar experience to mine. In light of this, please know that some of this post may be disturbing to you. Please monitor yourself if you wish to keep reading and don't read more than will unnecessarily disturb you. I am going …

Merry Christmas

The last few days have been all hustle, all bustle, and here I am now on Christmas Day. Last night, I gorged on international junk food...    (You HAVE to do the Tim Tam Slam!!! http://www.wikihow.com/Do-the-Tim-Tam-Slam) And all this international junk was glorious. I sense a new tradition! I encourage you to follow in my (highly addictive …

Assume Crash Positions! It’s a FEELING!!

The title pretty much describes my outlook on life. Anxiety? DUCK AND COVER! Depression? THE WORLD IS ENDING. Fear? OMG IT'S A DISASTER! Brace yourselves, at any time a feeling could come and assault your perfectly sculpted life!You never know if today will bring...An unexpected bill...A communication misunderstanding..."She loves me, she loves me not" in …

when words vanish.

I've taken to writing posts after I've been through an EMDR session, and this week is no exception. However... some things are too private to share so publicly, and I don't quite know what to tell you today. Secrets are meant for the closest of friends.I feel tender, broken open. Like a cantaloupe split down …