Vulnerability opens doors in people’s hearts. Raw, brave sharing is inspirational and powerful. It lifts, encourages, and builds all those who are on the receiving end, and the sender soon hears how supported and how very un-alone they actually are. It’s a win-win. (In contrast, remaining hush-hush about hardships, while appropriate for privacy’s sake, often helps no one.)
I spend very little time on Facebook – about a minute a week. But every now and then something pops up that I can’t keep from reading, and I’m drawn in for quite some time. That’s what happened when I read this post by Mindy Nuñez. It isn’t the first time her writing and vulnerability have drawn me in.
I asked if she would allow me to share this with all of you, because it will inevitably touch you and perhaps even open a shaft of light in your dark tunnel.
Here is Mindy’s story in her words:
I wanted to share my story with you guys! It’s been quite a journey so I thought maybe if it helps someone, I’ll share!
I had come to my place where some people get. I think I’ve heard people call it their “bottom,” though I’m not dumb enough to think that’s as low as I can go. All I can say is I got to a place where I needed a change or I knew my end was at the end of that journey!
I had lost my baby Felipe, I almost died losing my entire blood volume, my life had been forever changed by not being able to give birth to any more children (a thing that had become my identity after six children!), and the grief was unbearable! I ate and it felt better. I ate and the pain stopped – even if for a brief moment it stopped, and life stopped, and I didn’t have to hurt anymore…at least for that moment while I chewed and the chemicals flooded my brain.
(Read the rest on my column on theOrcasonian here…)
We honor you and all veterans this weekend, Mindy. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your story.
