Today, I will help you unlock the best way to defeat obstacles. They stand in our way in every direction we turn. Even the pathway that appears safe and clear from the start can mask many life-threatening obstacles. Cultivating skills to counteract such setbacks placed in our way is a necessary must. Without such skills, a person cannot overcome and grow.
To see more Crystalisms, go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/1360983917796761.
Our Feathered Friends
I began feeding wild birds over a quarter of a century ago. I still gain great pleasure in doing so. We have placed decals in all our windows to protect our feathered friends. This Measure is supposed to discourage birds from flying into windows and getting injured. Yet, still, frequent bangs alert us to another wayward bird that had flown into a glass pane. Whenever this happens, Rich and I drop what we are doing and gaze outside, hoping not to find a dead bird.
I recently stood at my kitchen island preparing a meal and witnessed a sparrow fly into the window before me. It then fluttered toward the nearby picket fence and perched on a post. I breathed a sigh of relief, happy that this little buddy had escaped unscathed, yet it frustrated me. We take every measure possible to protect them from flying into our glass panes. However, regardless of our efforts, they continue with such collisions.
What our bird friends are experiencing mirrors life. Regardless of the many warning signs placed before us, we humans far too often run head-first into obstacles set in our paths. The best we can hope for is that as we gain experience, we will learn how to spot those stumbling blocks. Maybe then we will discover ways to sidestep those obstacles and avoid a needless fall. Some of us acquire knowledge and grow well, while others never do.
The Path of Deceit
Not all stumbling blocks are easy to spot. Often, what looks like a clear and safe path will disguise many boulders placed along the way. Many misguided travelers embark on the well-known journey that appears to take them entirely away from everything they wish to avoid. This type of trail may look straight and clear, yet don’t become fooled by its disguise. Such cunning paths always turn into switchbacks, circling back around to where they began. I have witnessed many people walking down a path such as this. I even ventured down its deceitful course around the year 2000.
Robin’s Gift
As I developed my character, Natalie, in my book Robin’s Gift, I used my experience. Natalie thought the best way to escape the horrors of her past was to run from them. Her running away resulted in relocating to a different state. Then, when settled in this new location, she vowed never to reveal the truth of her past identity. In time, Natalie discovered that her “surefire” method impeded her growth. And, even more damaging, it held her fast to everything she attempted to run from.
Fiction Mirrors Life
The books I write mirror my life. I lived many years attempting to do what Natalie did. And just like Natalie discovered, my attempts never succeeded. Instead, they glued me to that which I wished to escape. It wasn’t until I faced my past head-on that I began the rewarding process of healing and started to mature beyond my many wounds.
My parents did this same thing throughout most of Father’s career. They harbored a deep secret that, if discovered, would jeopardize his reputation as a minister and licensed Social Worker. But, as no one can, they never did escape the switchback effect that life places on us when trying to escape something instead of directly facing it.
As a result of my parents’ actions, about every six years, Father’s supervisors would uncover his shameful secret. Even so, Father never dealt with it responsibly. Instead of facing his past, he chose to run. And each time, we had to pack up our belongings and move far away to a different state.
Father passed away in 2014, still adamant he had nothing to hide. To this day, anytime someone hints at that taboo topic, Mother responds defensively, adamantly calling that person a liar. My parents’ life spent running from their truth created a solid prison base that encased them. Those prison bars of their making kept them from experiencing freedom’s pleasure.
Break the Chains of Abuse
Mother and Father are not alone in their action. Every time someone runs from their truth, more generational chains of abuse forge. The only way to break those chains is by facing reality head-on.
To see more Crystalisms, go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/1360983917796761.
In two of my blog posts https://crystalmmhuntley.com/2024/07/revealing-why-running-from-abuse-is-never-enough/ and https://crystalmmhuntley.com/do-you-know-how-suffering-can-become-a-valuable-gift/, I share Sally’s story. Sally ran from her abusive husband, believing her action was a straight path toward freedom. However, what appeared to be her open road toward liberation instead caused her to stumble again and again into relationships like that which she first escaped.
Sally will never find freedom until she first steps onto a different path. The long, windy road toward healing will take her through the many phases of growth and learning she needs to discover how to become strong. Only then can she change her behavior and learn how to detect and refrain from other abusers.
Today’s world blesses us with an abundance of resources. One such resource I recommend is Karen Lynn Robinson.
Karen is a trauma recovery expert. She has twenty-five years of clinical mental health practice in community mental health, schools, hospitals, adoption, inpatient psychiatric, outpatient behavioral health, group homes, shelters, military bases, tele-therapy, and more expertise in trauma recovery. Culturally sensitive and competent. (Taken from her LinkedIn bio.) https://solo.to/healthrivedream. Karen’s next free summit, Finding Connection After Relationship Trauma will occur on October 17 & 18. I will be one of the many speakers during this event. All are welcome to attend.
Note To My Readers
Hopefully, you have gained value from this blog post. If you have, I would like to offer you the opportunity to purchase my books. You can buy The Hidden Diamond and Robin’s Gift at BUY-the-BOOK https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-. Two additional sites where you can find my books are https://bkbookshoppe.com and https://bizybookstore.com.
Each purchase of my books supports my mission to help those trapped in abuse break those chains and find their way to freedom while drawing closer to their Maker. Once you have read either of my books, feel free to leave a review on the site you purchased from. Your review will encourage others also to seek out the path of healing.
Alexandra All souls are priceless no matter their past. A personal reason to testify. Assure myself with a pep talk. Boundaries Breaking Out Breathe into the space of peace. Complex CPTSD Continue to write for God. Difficult people can become a catalyst for growth. Discover My Newest Post Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Forgiveness Free Giveaway From Robin’s Gift God chooses. Grace Enters Hope How I got out of the wheelchair. Installing Healthy Boundaries Invite Keep up the good work. Master New Skills My Mission My Story No meaningful journey exists without pitfalls. Note To My Readers Resources Robin’s Gift Robin’s Gift – A Sneak Peak Share my healing journey. Taboo topics have infiltrated people. Take the Challenge Thank you. The Behind Story The Hidden Diamond Transcend into healthy boundaries. Upcoming Posts We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know. Why I Write Writing Is My Passion Writing Mirrors Life You Are Worthy! Your Gain “When I am weak then I am strong.”
