Found in: It’s OK to be Unique — It’s OK to be Plural
So March 5 is the National DID Awareness Day — how cool was that.
And a couple of days later, March 8, is International Women’s Day.
That’s two big inspirational days right in a row. Busy week for female dissociative survivors.
With those days in mind, look at this wonderful idea sent to me :
I am full of empowering thoughts it would seem.
In part, that is because I attended an International Women’s Day conference on Thursday and the incredible stories of courageous women just blew me away.
As a part of the activities of the day, we were to bring an inspiring quote or write something to share with another participant at the conference. We were all given blank greeting cards in which to write our quote or thoughts. At the end of the conference, on our way out, they had a basket full of the various cards that the women had written their thoughts in. We were to choose one at random as a card/thought to take away with us.
This is what the card I chose said inside:
“Never give up. This is what my life taught me. I came from a land of war. I thought that I would never get a chance to build my future but there is always a shred of light that will open a door to a new opportunity.”
Inspiring thought. My sincere thanks to the woman who wrote this for me.
Now, what if we had a (virtual) conference devoted to DID and we were given an opportunity to write something inspirational to give to another person.
What would your thought or quote be?
What an interesting idea! We could do that!
We can write inspirational words to give to other readers here in this community.
We can write new inspirational words of encouragement.
Or, we can gather a list of inspirational quotes and encouraging words that are already written.
These quotes could be offered to other dissociative trauma survivors….
OR they could be meant for your own System people.
What would you say to support, inspire, and encourage the people in your healing environment?
You were innocent, and you are beautiful.
Found in: 10 Comforting and Corrective Truths for Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors
Do you have a favorite quote written here in Discussing Dissociation?
If I know which words have the most importance to you, I can make an image, using words that are meaningful and significant for you. OR … you can make a visual picture image using your favorite quote from this blog, and share it with me. Either way.
If I get enough of them collected, maybe I can make a new video using them. 
Found in: Maizy’s M&M Memory — Remembering the Good Times
If y’all are willing, I would be open to including various words of support y’all have already been writing to each other here in the Comment sections of this blog. There have been some really beautiful, supportive, and kind words offered to each other — like some really beautiful words said.
How about we go on a little “Quote Hunt”, find some of the sentences or phrases that mean the most to you? And then… if the speaker is willing, we can take those words and make our very own works of art from them.
And if you find a particularly helpful quote from me — in articles, or in the comments I’ve written — please post the words below (or send them in an email), and if possible, please let me know where you found them.
Found in: Not Getting to Be Your True Self – But Whose Life is it Anyway?
Of course, we’ll need to get each other’s permission to use the encouraging words and phrases said by each other. No one will be forced to participate if they are not comfortable being quoted on an image.
If we post these inspirations together, the encouragement you need on a difficult day will be easy to find.
So what do you and your systems say to that idea? Is anybody ready to go start quote hunting?! I hope so. 🙂
And let’s wish each other the very best in all our healing journeys. 🙂
Warmly,
Kathy
Copyright © 2008-2020 Kathy Broady MSW and Discussing Dissociation
“…Maybe we’re a little different
There’s no need to be ashamed
You’ve got the light to fight the shadows
So stop hiding it away…”
– from Read All About It, Part III, by Emile Sande, who performed the song during the Closing Ceremony of the London Olympic Games
“…We keep moving forward—opening up new doors and doing new things—because we’re curious. And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths…”
– Walt Disney
We have taken Keep Moving Forward as our personal motto. We have a little poster we made on our living room wall.
HAPPINESS IS AN INSIDE JOB. DONT ASSIGN ANYONE ELSE THAT MUCH POWER OVER YOUR LIFE.
WRITTEN BY MANDY HALE
The following song is an inspiration to us. Love the music. Love the lyrics. (*Changed one word to fit us better, for us. But entire song is moving.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voHgJKnxpYc
Lyrics:
Let the River Run
Carly Simon
We’re coming to the edge
Running on the water
Coming through the fog
Your sons and daughters
Let the river run
Let all the dreamers
Wake the nation
Come, the New Jerusalem
Silver cities rise
The morning lights
The streets that meet them
And sirens call them on
With a song
It’s asking for the taking
Trembling, shaking
Oh, my heart is aching
We’re coming to the edge
Running on the water
Coming through the fog
Your sons and daughters
We the great and small
Stand on a star
And blaze a trail of desire
Through the dark’ning dawn
It’s asking for the taking
Come run with me now
The sky is the color of blue
You’ve never even seen
In the eyes of your Lord*
Oh, my heart is aching
We’re coming to the edge
Running on the water
Coming through the fog
Your sons and daughters
It’s asking for the taking
Trembling, shaking
Oh, my heart is aching
We’re coming to the edge
Running on the water
Coming through the fog
Your sons and daughters
Let the river run (let the river run)
Let all the dreamers (let all the dreamers)
Wake the nation (wake the nation)
Come, the New Jerusalem
Songwriters: Carly E. Simon
Let the River Run lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Fox Music, Inc
START CLOSE IN
Start close in,
don’t take
the second step
or the third,
start with the first
thing
close in,
the step
you don’t
want to take.
Start with
the ground
you know,
the pale ground
beneath your feet,
your own
way to begin
the conversation.
Start with your own
question,
give up on other
people’s questions,
don’t let them
smother something
simple.
To hear
another’s voice,
follow
your own voice,
wait until
that voice
becomes an
intimate
private ear
that can
really listen
to another.
Start right now
take a small step
you can call your own
don’t follow
someone else’s
heroics,
be humble
and focused,
start close in,
don’t mistake
that other
for your own.
Start close in,
don’t take
the second step
or the third,
start with the first
thing
close in,
the step
you don’t
want to take.
…
START CLOSE IN
in River Flow
New & Selected Poems
Many Rivers Press © David Whyte
…
that was nice to see all the positive quotes
Hi All,
I am feeling a whole lot of turmoil out there in our precious community. Folks are having a really rough time of it and some of our friends have gone silent. That concerns me and so I wanted to give a shout out to you all with some words of inspiration from your DD friends.
ME+WE (2018) Just something that I wrote recently trying to inspire myself out of my own funk!
“I take off this cloak of shame, horror, trauma and abuse that others have placed on me and burn it in the fires of self-compassion and loving change. This fire will rage brilliantly through the darkness of my life lost from this point forward. I can feel the warmth of my heart in its glow, the soothing heat on my body and the light of happiness in my soul. I am on a sacred journey to recapture my life. Let this not be a symbol of the end of that journey but a celebration of the wondrous possibilities that are awakened here.”
SeekingOurFreedom (April 2018) This quote is so incredible and on point – something for us all to keep telling ourselves.
Our Normal Complicated Selves
“Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s feeling afraid but choosing to do what’s needed anyway.”
Living United (May, 2018) Jessie has posted the whole poem – I agree that the whole poem would make a great graphic – although I had tagged the last line as especially meaningful for me.
Building DID Emotional Support and Inspiration
“My internal system will shine to help weather the storms.”
MissyMing (April 2018) This quote in reference to alters is bang on for me.
Our Normal Complicated Selves
“I may not understand them sometimes, don’t know what to do with them – but I DO NOT want them to “go away.”
T.Clark (May 2018) I just love the outreach with care and compassion that this community offers. To me, the quote below summarizes beautifully what we are doing here.
Abandonment — A Painful, Tender Hurt for Dissociative Trauma Survivors
“… we are sorry your heart aches. We offer you compassion. We are here, too, and we care.”
Kennedy (May 2018) This quote is the perfect companion piece to the quote above. Just compassion mixed with some great advice and wisdom.
Examples of Successful Progress in the DID Healing Process
“You all deserve better digs now. …Build a temporary place you can be together in warmth and softness. Don’t worry about a permanent place for now. You can go together even if you feel like you don’t deserve it. You do deserve it. Those feelings are what was done to you.”
Andrea (May 2018) This quote was in reference to Mother’s Day but I think that it is perfect for all of our “created holidays” that serve to only hurt, aggravate and distract us from our healing.
A Painful Mother’s Day – the Cards Not Written
“Treat yourself with love. Know that whatever the calendar or Costco says about today, it’s just Sunday.”
X (May 2018) This quote just jumped out and said – “this is what the journey to healing is all about.”
Emotional Intensity, Safety and Memory Work
“… its not who gets through the minefield first its who gets through it safely.”
Kathy Broady (May 2018) Well, I just think that this quote summarizes everything that we have come to know about Kathy in her dedication to the DD community here and in educating folks about DID. Certainly summarizes her philosophy as best I can see and inspires us to do the same. Oh, and I am thinking that the quote inspires us to not only help one another here on the DD website but to help every one in our individual systems.
My Mother Would Say to You
“Help one another, help one another”
I hope that these quotes help and inspire you today and in the days to come friends.
ME+WE
05/28/2018
Thank you ME + WE, we are having a good day today,but it has been a rough couple of weeks as a whole. I appreciate this community of friends who often say kind and uplifting words during a difficult spell. We are working on anger management right now. No fun, and the hardest protector of all to deal with also holds many of the trauma memories.
Be Strong and Courageous. Be YOU.
Loved reading those, ME+WE.
Our fave is what you posted for Kathy.
She’s a great teacher in helping all of us learn to help one another.
Kathy I think this one would be great with a light house behind and with stormy sea.
living united says
Lighthouse
Perfectly steadfast and unaffected,
with eyes wide open and looking around.
To help guide through overwhelming challenges,
when the unthinkable stuff happened.
Sending out a beacon of light.
so sacrifices could be made.
For this sinking mind, body, and soul.
My internal system will shine to help weather the storms.
Reply
A quotes from my therapist ( Belinda Whipple-Worth)
One thing i know to be true,
you did not deserve to be treated like that.
One thing i know to be true
you are good.
One thing I know to be true
this is very hard work and can be stressful and scary.
One thing I know to be true
you’ er very brave
We saw a smurfs movie last nit. The gerl smurfet was furst makd as a notty by the bad sosrer to help him find the smurfs. But papa smurf helpd her chang to be a gud smurf. Wen she wuz sad an felt bad cuz she wuz makd by a bad man then papa smurf teld her
it dusnt matr wair yu cam frum, all that matrs is wat yu chuz to be now.
All us kids big an litl likd an remembr this cuz it teld us we ar not bad just cuz we startd lif in a bad plas with bad pepl. We ar gud an we chuzd to get help an get betr an to be gud pepl now an not lik the bad pepl wat hurtd us.
Frum the kids wat liv with mycircleoflife.
Hi All,
WOW … what great postings folks. Just a few more from me because I have found it so healing and inspirational just looking for more to offer here. ☺
Neo (March 2018) (This comment just spoke the story of my life and my hope.)
Our Normal Complicated Selves
As survivors, shame is probably the biggest burden we carry. And freedom and well-being can only come when we decide to put down the shame and carry something better instead.
MissyMing (2018) (I love the imagery here of a “Mystery Novel” and what we are working through an adventure.).
When You Suddenly Lose Your Therapist
Thank goodness my T lets me email her anytime … I am like her own real-life “Mystery Novel” we are “reading” through – it helps to keep the really rough spots from feeling like “end of the world” and more like part of an “adventure story” we are working through!
Kennedy (2018) (To me, Kennedy is one of the purest, “out loud speakers” here and someone who honesty of self inspires me.)
When You Suddenly Lose Your Therapist
Even though writing is not out loud. I want out loud, I get now why using our vocal cords and hearing our voice makes everything real. I dont want to be afraid anymore of telling who I really am. Who we are. How we are. It’s so scary to be out loud honest.
T.Clark (3/13/18) (Bang on inspirational and words to follow.)
When You Suddenly Lose Your Therapist
Trust takes time. Expectations are the enemy of progress. Maybe get up off the floor, put one foot in front of the other, and pay attention to the view as it passes. If you have expectations, you’ll see only what you’re looking for. If you look with your real eyes, you’ll see what is there.
T.Clark (32/26/18) (Beautiful words of support, friendship and hope.)
When You Suddenly Lose Your Therapist
You were not bad as a child, as a teen, and you aren’t bad now. There is divine in you. You are the sun, the brightest star anyone can see. You are a warrior against the pain of loss and the past. You are love, for keeping your insiders safe the best way you know how, for sharing yourself with your friends in this community. You are hope. The Now is a safe place. The safest!
Neo (2018) (A beautiful thought on faith and healing.)
Do You Need Faith to Overcome the Effects of Trauma
I think faith or spirituality is incredibly important for healing. I’m just not sure healing can happen without some belief in a greater good, in the power of love and acceptance. … It is a lot of work to reclaim our freedom, our free will.
Kennedy (2018) (Just a poignant reminder of how precious our community is in bringing us out of the darkness of isolation.)
The Changing of the Seasons
Our friendships here are what will make huge differences in how well we can get through tough times, ya know? I spent years and years in isolation and all I can say about that is I am so glad we are not there anymore.
And … to go along with our discussion on “Our Normal Complicated Selves” blog, a few inspirational quotes from Helen Keller:
“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.”
“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.”
“Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.”
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
~ Being human says that free will trumps everything else~
This was in a written note my T jotted after speaking to a consultant about DID and RA/MC.
I kept asking her to repeat it until she wrote it down for us.
Now I have it taped across the top of my computer screen.
I like it because being able to choose differently is sometimes a foreign concept to me and my entire system. When you have been raised and lived for so long without being able to choose anything, you forget that you can.
Our system often forgets that we are an adult living today, not in the past, so being reminded that we have free will and we can choose differently NOW, has been really helpful.
“Every new day is another chance to make the most of life”
Author unknown
One quote I took to heart and made my “mantra” when I first started therapy:
“Living well is the best revenge”
(Author unknown)
My fave quotes for did: “keep calm and cooperate” lol and
“When I becomes WE, illness becomes wellness”.
Others we like which may not necessarily relate to healing:
“exhale the bullshit”
“just breathe!”
“you’re allowed to___ * insert choice* in our case, choose if we had contact with our abusers(paprents))”- Our T (i won’t put her name up here just for hers and our privacy though.
“We can complain rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice that thorn bushes have roses!”
” it doesn’t matter how slowly you go, so long as you don’t stop”
H-Hold
o-On
p-Pain
e- Ends!
” you don’t just choose recovery. You have to keep choosing recovery over and over again”
“pay attention when people react with anger or hostility to your boundaries. You have just found the edge of where their respect for you ends.”
“No wonder you learned to split!”- Kathy Broady
ok, i’m done, hope these are somewhat helpful to others 🙂
I’ve always resonated with the quote from Dumbledore “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” I remember being in the cinema when he said that and having a massive OMG moment! hahaha I didn’t even know about DID then either. 🙂
Quotes i live by ” you do you” which is new and somewhat dumb but its so pertinent to both DID systems as well as life in general. Just do you and don’t worry about anything or anyone else!
A song that changed my life and healing was Fear by blue october. In particular the lyrics ” fear in itself
Will use you up and break you down, Like you were never enough” as well as “Today
I don’t have to fall apart, I don’t have to be afraid, I don’t have to let the damage Consume me, My shadow see through me”.
I’m sure there are many many others and probably lots from here too that we love but these are the first ones off the top of my head. 🙂
Adjust the rudder. – C. GEISLER
Are you talking to the inside? Is the inside talking to you? Are you listening to the inside? Is the inside listening to you? – KATHY
YOU AREN’t broken – You don’t need to be fixed. – Unknown
It’s not your fault. It was never your fault. – Unknown
The wrong person ran. – Annie
http://www.mtv.com/news/3067120/stoneman-douglas-drama-kids-music-healing-shine/
Listen to “Shine”
Inspiration from the most courageous people I’ve ever seen.
A few of the lyrics from “Shine”…
“We’re not gonna let you win
We’re putting up a fight
You may have brought the dark but together we will shine the light,”
–Written and performed by Stoneman Douglas HS students, 16-year-old Sawyer Garrity and 15-year-old Andrea Peña a few days after their school endured a mass shooting that killed 17 people. If you have not heard the song, it’s heartbreaking and inspirational.
Our own personal quote:
Healing is a journey, not a destination.
It takes time. We didn’t get here overnight. Why expect an overnight fix?
Radical acceptance is knowing you can’t change the past, only move forward from here.
Is 3 like a throw up habit? Inside is brokend
“I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost… I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes me a long time to get out.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in. It’s a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
I walk down another street.”
― Portia Nelson, There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery
Hey Kennedy — I like this poem too.
Have you seen this article ?? 😃
What Holes are in your Healing Sidewalks?
what a wonderful idea! i collect images and quotes from the internet. i make stories too, using my artwork and blending them with words to create a part of my healing journey. impossible to share though, i’m not from an english speaking country so i’ve written everything in my native language. wish i could though, sharing stories and inspiring thoughts is a beautiful thing we can do for one another.
especially when the days seem to be as dark as the night and seem to last forever. finding a flicker of light then is so valuable and so needed to enable us to hold on until the darkness fades away and the light starts to brighten.
one collected favourite of mine is:
they thought they could bury us… they didn’t know we were seeds
or:
H.O.P.E: Hold On Pain Ends
i find that one beautiful too!
Hi All,
I keep a file of inspirational quotes on my desktop. Here are a few of my favourites.
“We are all a little broken. But last time I checked, broken crayons still color the same.”
― Trent Shelton
“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.”
― J.P. Morgan
“Be the love you never received.”
–– Rune Cazuli
“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
― Vivian Greene
“Our first teacher is our own heart.”
–– Cheyenne saying
ME+WE
03/21/2018
Hi All,
There are just so many wonderful comments by my friends here that I cannot do this task justice. Just looking through a few sections at a time. Tons there that I have not gotten to. But here are some more of the quotes that touched my heart, my mind (“oh wow yes” moments) and funny bone.
Wren (November 2017) (Just a stunningly beautiful validation of our presence.)
Protecting Your Inner Self from Perpetrators
The proof of our courage is in every single breath we take. We validate ourselves every time we inhale.
Deb (unknown date) (The importance of our community here.)
What do you think about Suicide?
….please hold on…..please……even if we don’t know each other’s specific situations, we DO recognize and understand pain…..and this is a good place to pour out….and having a group to pour out to who “understands” my language and my phrasing of things is like being able to take another breath…still scary? Yes….Feeling vulnerable? Yes…..but at least I won’t feel so much shame about being the way that I am…..I see that I am not alone…..
SeekingOurFreedom (January 2018) (Just a simply brilliant idea!)
Our Normal Complicated Selves – a place to write about anything
I spend time each morning, talking with my insiders, telling them about anything that needs doing that day, giving them space to talk if they want, but I also play a game with them. It’s the same game every day but I think it’s one of the things that is very slowly starting to help us all feel safer. I start by naming something that is different when comparing today to the past. Then, I encourage the others to do the same and see how long we can keep it going for, hoping to get a longer list than the day before.
SeekingOurFreedom (01/31/2018) (A wonderful take on “triggers”)
Our Normal Complicated Selves – a place to write about anything
Personally, I don’t think of any trigger as inappropriate, whether they are in myself, an insider or another (external) person. There is always a reason for the way I/my insiders react and I choose to look at that with curiosity so I can identify the reason for it. In other people, I take a similar approach which makes it easier for me to not judge them. Triggers are so hard to deal with but they are an opportunity to learn about ourselves and grow.
T.Clark (unknown date) (I just always love T.Clark’s “cut-to-the-chase” insights.)
Understanding Child Parts in the Dissociative System
We def need each other here. Peoples, we are all stronger than anyone outside can know. Let’s just sit in awe of our bravery in making community. Yay, us!”
T.Clark (February/March 2018) (This was a brilliant twist on the “golden rule”)
Understanding Child Parts in the Dissociative System
When we’re trying to figure out how to treat insiders, we try the “reverse golden rule”: Do unto yourself as you would do unto others. We tend to be nicer to others than to ourselves. We’re trying to change that by reading about and practicing self-compassion. After about a year, it’s starting to help. Yay!
Deb (February/March 2018) (Okay … I am a sucker for any post that includes the words “ice cream” but this one was just so sweet in all ways.)
Understanding Child Parts in the Dissociative System
I have problems with even acknowledging child parts….still don’t know the answer to that one yet….but I DID find out about one! The ice cream one! His fascination and joy with ice cream began to intrigue me…..so I did some “soul searching”….trying to narrow down “where” he might have come from……. The other parts still scare me…..but this one?…..I think I can meet him where he is at……in fact, my therapist and I are planning on eating ice cream at my next session!!!…. How cool is that!!!……. My big step toward connecting with my child parts!…… And onward I go!……
Neo (unknown date) (This post was just such a wonderful lesson in listening to our insiders and responding to their needs.)
Understanding Child Parts in the Dissociative System
I can assure you, it does get better. But in all honesty, it will only get better when you start to communicate with your parts. It doesn’t have to be actual communication. It can be visualization. The very first time I ever communicated with one of my needy young parts was when she had total panic at night before bed. And I wanted to crawl out of my skin to get away from her and the feelings I was feeling and the things I was hearing from her. But, instead of pacing around my house and turning on all the lights and going into panic mode myself, I asked her what she needed to feel better, and she said underpants. So, I visualized giving her a pair of underwear and pajamas with pants instead of a nightgown. And that part became quiet and settled. Sometimes it is much simpler than you think to meet their needs.
Neo (unknown date) (The importance of communicating with your insiders.)
Understanding Child Parts in the Dissociative System
There is hope. Just keep taking one day, one moment at time. Work at accepting your parts in tiny areas first, around things that aren’t hard for you to acknowledge and accept. Gradually you’ll come to hear their stories , get to know them, and appreciate their strengths. And when you aren’t spending all your mental and emotional energy fighting them or trying to deny them and keep them a secret, you’ll have energy for you again and you’ll be able to life life more fully.
Things do get better!
Kennedy (unknown date) (The raw vulnerability, courage and honesty of Kennedy’s postings always blow me away. — who can forget the “She sounds like a bitch.” comment about someone’s therapist problems? You kind of need to read Kennedy”s whole posts. But I loved tis comment after telling a story about a car trip with insiders that got out of control – wise advise.)
Our Normal Complicated Selves – a place to write about anything
*Note to self* When driving and want to share something cool like watching horses, pull over on the side of the road before announcing to the others what you see.
ME+WE
03/20/2018
Hi All,
Below a few quotes from my friends here that have inspired/tickled me from the “Our Normal Complicated Selves – a place to write about anything” blog.
Astrie (date unknown) (bang on target)
… please remember- your alters protected you, they care about you and love you. They don’t deserve to be disrespected or robbed of their jobs or have yet more crap added to their plate either consciously by you or not. Treat them as you’d like to be treated and you’ll be winning.
DK (date unknown) (this one still cracks me up!)
This thread is to help those of us who need encouragement from time to time and look at DID from a lighter side. We can all use some humor and encouragement from time to time, right? I will start. My child part woke up one morning, and thought it would be funny to play “peek-a-boo” with my husband. He was not amused. The child was though!!
Wren (date unknown) (so very well said – and includes ice cream too!)
And it speaks so clearly and eloquently to all of us here…that we may have been injured…but we are not broken. Sometimes we feel that way. But we are as strong and caring and compassionate as any singleton…and I dare say we have perhaps even an extra measure of compassion and strength. We are so beautiful. I never really knew how beautiful we all are until I started reading here….until people started peeking out from behind the curtains….daring to connect. Yay for us!!!! We are gonna need more spoons for more ice cream.
Wendy (unknown date) (such compassion from and to the littles)
i know what you mean about not feeling good enoff. and i kno w how it seem like you have to be really good or people dont want to be around you. but really all kids diserve to get attenshon. and all kids is good. all kids shuldnnot be punished. you shouldnt get put in the trash. if you want to talk to me i will talk to you. i will be nice to you. i can help take care of you inside. i know you are part of us. it is ok to be here. i want you around.
Ollie (unknown date) (this is REALLY funny for multiples)
I just saw something amusing and want to share: I walked out of a door into a parking lot and there was this truck. On the side was a big sign saying, “We Know Parts!!” –Turns out it was a mechanic advertising auto-parts. But it gave me a morning’s laugh!
DK (unknown date) (how many of us can relate to this? Such a profound truth in an everyday part of our existence)
You can only do what you can do. Tonight someone decided to eat right handed, completely. Normally lefty does everything.
ME+WE
03/20/2018
Hello Dear Friends,
Well, let’s get this celebration going!!!
What a wondrous journey of discovery and sharing I have been on with my insiders the past four years. For almost six decades, I lived my life thinking that I knew who I was … and that person was not happy or whole. Then one day a little girl took my hand and led me up into the attic of my mind.
It was dark and dusty up there and I was fearful of the shadows that were hauntingly present. As I strained to see into the darkness, the little girl led me over to a tiny gold box in the center of the floor. I was not certain if I was brave enough to open the box but her pleading eyes urged me to do so. Inside I found a mound of crystal shards, tiny and deep red in colour. The little girl beckoned me to tip them out on to the floor and, as I did, I realized that they were all parts of my heart, shattered in the age of innocence so long ago.
Was this what the little girl had brought me here to see?
Was I to know that my life had been lived with a broken heart, stored away in darkness?
Was I to never have the hope of a whole heart again?
As I looked down in despair at the shards of my heart, a beam of healing light shown through the attic window and the crystal pieces began to glow and light up the room. And in that light, I could see all kinds of boxes of different sizes, shapes and colours filling the room. One by one, I found the courage to lift the lids off of the boxes to look inside.
And what did I find?
Stacks and stacks of love letters to me from my insiders. Letters filled with fun and love and hate and anger and pain and sadness and anguish and terror and hurt and emotion and memories … oh, lots and lots and lots of memories. My insiders had stored them all away for me to find when I was strong enough to sit in the darkness of my life and shine the light of hope on them so that I might finally see. Although the contents of the letters were hard to read, they spoke of the lost parts of my life that my insiders had lovingly preserved for me. They contained the wholeness of my being.
Treasures await you if you dare to wander up into the attic of your mind and let your insiders open the boxes of love letters that they have written to you. It is the ultimate act of love that our insiders have lived our past and continue to protect our present. No matter how painful and difficult the memories may be that they share with us, they are ours. Own them, embrace them, hold them close, weep and laugh with them, sooth and cradle them, let the healing power of self-love radiate through them, and then set them free.
For in the love letters of the heart that your insiders have written for you is the promise of healing, hope and peace.
ME+WE
03/20/2018
“Every time that one of us stands up and tells our stories of the heart, we are all empowered to break the barriers of silence, to throw off the hidden shames of others that have been wrapped around our lives and to find compassion, hope and healing in the safe embrace of our community here.”
Posted by Me+We on 3/9/18
I love this quote! I am working on being brave enough to tell my story to others. I am working on starting a PTSD support group. I haven’t been on here as much lately, but I do love the community here, and come here often on the harder days.
Oh wow … a treasure hunt … how exciting!!! There are so, so, so many goodies to be found on the DD website. What uplifting fun this will be.
Just wondering about the logistics/need for permissions Kathy. If someone has posted in the DD comments section, they have already agreed/given permission for what they have written to be made public (well, already its public). Unless someone has a big object attaching their words to an image.
ME+WE
03/19/2018
Yes, ME+WE,
The quotes already posted on the blog here are already public comments posted for the world to see. And some of them are really fantastic !
My thought was just to gather some of the really special ones all in one place so we can have a page of inspiration, hope, and encouragement. Sometimes, you just don’t wanna have to search around for stuff, and if we take the effort to gather some of the golden nuggets and re-post them here, we can find those encouraging words easier on the days when life feels harder.
PLUS — I want to encourage everyone to write NEW comments of inspiration as well. NEW beautiful words to each other and/or your system. From each other or from your system. These are all welcome.
I’m gonna re-write some of the post re: images. Because yes, I absolutely agree that if I create an image using a written quote from this blog, different from my own words, then I’ll get specific permission from that person first.
Copy-pasting here from one thread to another is one thing, but making a small “poster” takes it up a notch.
Just like Claire and I have been gathering permissions to use various public quotes posted here on the blog for testimonials for the blog, I’ll definitely get permission for these things as well.
Gotta keep it safe and positive for everyone!
🙂
K.
Hi Kathy,
I did not express myself well in my original post. Sorry about that. I was concerned about you trying to get permissions from everyone for every quote reposted here (how I read the blog) and felt that everything posted here was already fair game (i.e., that permissions were not necessary). Just trying to save you some work. You already do so much for us. If used elsewhere l can see that that may be different although not a personal concern of mine. I appreciate your diligence in this regard none-the-less.
I think gathering up in one place words of inspiration is a great idea. Already contributed some. Can’t wait to see what others post — quotes from outside, from here or new words yet unspoken — what a wonderful feast of inspiration this is shaping up to be!
We have so much to offer one another folks. Let,s build this rock of hope into a mountain here!
ME+WE
03/21/2018
My thoughts: once I didn’t know why I was where I’d never been.
I was afraid.
I found the reasons and secrets.
I was ashamed.
Once I printed none of my others existed.
I was guiltridden.
Once I wanted every single second to be mine alone.
I was greedy. Once we saw fairies when we walked down the street.
I was enchanted.
Once I was told that there wasn’t anyone to hide.
I was greatful.
Then I was told that it was okay for me to be we.
I had hope.
Chery Jimenez
I respelled our name.
Now it is ours not their’sl!!
What a hoot.
We like your writing. You made your name your own. We think that’s creative and brave. 4/30/18
HI Chery Jimenez,
I really love your writing too. So poetic, inspirational and uplifting. Thank you for sharing this with us.
ME+WE
04/30/2018
A treasure hunt? Ohhhh I love it. Hope you are ready to have lots of emails and comments on this page from us. So so many systems write such kind and inspirational comments. Ohhh this is gonna be fun. I was just getting bummed about Easter coming. It’s gonna be a bummer no matter what but we can focus on finding quotes and that will be so healing just in doing that! Good idea. Good choice. Right on! Yay!