This is a long personal emotional rant that I will probably regret annie.micro.blog
@Annie Yours is the second post I read in under 30 mins from people who are dealing with a lot of stress, and I’m sorry I have no words of wisdom to offer. Just a “thank you” for sharing, for taking the time to write these thoughts down, and letting you know I’m sending my love. Probably won’t help much.
@maique Actually, you might be surprised how very very healing it is for someone to listen (read), acknowledge the pain, and express love. Simple but profound. Thank you
@Annie Thank you for sharing and opening up. I have about 0% experience with relationships, so I would be the last person to give advice or perspective, but I read what you wrote, and feel with you. 💚
@odd Thank you for that gift -- What a huge thing it is to just say what you're feeling and have someone read/listen and empathize, with love and without judgment. Huge.
@Annie I’m sorry to hear this. Sounds like a pretty awful week all around. Hope things improve, and thank you for sharing. ❤️
@Annie Annie, I want to give you the biggest hug! So many of those sentences could have come straight from my own head - I know the guilt and the doubt all too well. How it plays on a loop late at night, and threatens to swallow you whole.
Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Invest in yourself, find tiny moments to do what you love and let it heal your heart. Thankyou for putting yourself out there in this way, by doing so you've made me feel a little less alone. I wish for nothing but peace for you.
@circustiger I'm crying (like, in a good way)... this comment felt like a huge hug. Thank you. I feel less alone too.
@Annie What a powerful piece of writing. It seems at the end that's there's a glimmer of light. I hope that is the case.
@Annie OMG! I don't know what to say, but hang in there. Take care of yourself. Sending you hugs from the other side of the planet. :)
@Annie Like a few others have said, I just wanted to say thank you for writing this. 'Thanks' might be a strange thing to give, but I feel gratitude is proper when someone shows strength in vulnerability like you have. I know a lot feels terrible right now, but I hope you also celebrate your force and your love and care for your kids. 💙
@Annie I can totally relate to what you say about "cycling", and not wanting to be defined by the pain other people have put us through, but struggling. My heart goes out to you, and I hope things improve soon ❤️
@Annie I’m so sorry my dear friend.
It sure how much we’ve spoken about my first marriage, the divorce, etc. But, trust me when I tell you this.
It gets better.
@Annie
"You think you are alone, and as the years go by, if the stars are on your side, you may discover that you are at the centre of a vast circle of invisible friends whom you will never get to know, but who love you. And that is an immense reward." - Borges on writing
@writingslowly @jayeless @patrickrhone @palousegeo @sherif @rom @Ddanielson @Miraz @annahavron @circustiger @lmika @maique @odd Thank you for this listening and comfort, friends.
@Annie thanks for sharing this very personal side of your life. What can I say? Nothing except this: one thing at a time, one day at a time, focus on what you can control and try to move on for the things you don't. Not easy, I know too well. Hugs.
@Annie I send you a lot of strength. Your story has touched me very much. Sometimes life is terribly difficult. From experience, it always gets better. It just takes a little longer sometimes.
I don't know the whole story, but I think I can guess it. You are obviously a really great mom. That's worth its weight in gold. Be sure to take little time outs. Just for you. Even if it's just 30 minutes in the bathtub. Every minute gives you a little strength again.
All the best to you!
@Annie "What about YOU?" A very powerful question despite it's size.
So often we hide behind things, events, situations, conflate their happening with our own existence as though we are made of them rather than live through them. We forget that we are this separate person, this being that is not defined by what it exists within, rather what exists within it.
As the maxim says: it is better to regret what you have done than what you haven't, no matter how hard it might be to reconcile. Yet there is no reason whatsoever to regret sharing your innermost fear and pain, to bare the very essence of yourself.
Sometimes we just need a reminder of who and what we are, even if it means facing demons we would rather avoid.
@Annie For years I would become very sad at the same time each year and not understand why. Finally, a clever friend pointed out that my sadness occurred during the same month that I had to say goodbye to living out a lifelong dream.
“That’s crazy,” I thought. “That was years ago. Surely I’m over that.” But I wasn’t.
Once I figured that out, the cycle became a spiral and I spent the next years circling away from it. Sometimes spinning slow, sometimes spinning fast, but always away.
You may feel you’re in a cycle but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck. It can also mean that you’re actually dealing with things instead of indulging in the fantasy that they’re over just because they happened in the past.
I wish you a healthier week than last week and that, when the same difficulties come back around again, that you’re stronger and better prepared than the last time.
@gregmoore Thanks for sharing your experience — valuable perspective. I really like thinking about cycle turning into spiral, that feels doable and really hopeful.
@Annie @annahavron Thank you for receiving my reply in the spirit it was written in. I hate when my writing reads like "dad advice" when I mean it to be more of an encouragement coming along side in your journey.