October 9, 2016

Recognizing & Acknowledging Abuse Before Its Too Late.

It’s not your fault. Sexual, physical and mental abuse can happen to anyone. It does not mean that you are a bad person or that you somehow deserved it. You are not to blame!

This message more than ever goes out to those still struggling with the pain of surviving abuse. Recently I received a call from a family member about a young girl that was being molested by her mom’s boyfriend. She talked about the horrors she felt living in the same house with this monster and the betrayal she felt. She had informed her mother about the abuse and yet her mother did not believe her and stood by her man. This baby’s nightmare had me in tears because it paralleled my own years ago.

This is the reason I decided to write this for parents and survivors. I want everyone to know what goes through the mind of a sexually abused child…..Its my fault…. I am to blame…. I hate myself…. I don’t matter…. Why won’t someone believe me?!.…..These were my thoughts at one point in time.If you ask your child or another abused child you might be surprised to learn these are their thoughts as well….. I can vividly recall the fear and revulsion I felt at being touched. As with the young woman that I spoke with, my mother knew of the horrors I suffered. It took years to battle through the pain and suffering so that I can hold up my head unashamed. The scars of abuse is not something that just magically melt away because we age.

It is one thing to see the tears and to hear the fear but to understand the shame is something that we all need to truly know. In this young girl’s world her mother chose to not believe her. Sadly the more young girls and boys become brave enough to talk about their survival, the more it becomes shockingly apparent how many claim their parents fail to believe their kids, or they are aware and do nothing.

For some women the fear of being alone can blind us to the actions of the ‘good man’ that we love. I am not saying that all men are pedophiles or that mothers are to blame. No I am strictly talking to the parents, and men and women with children who have exhibited signs that are being missed or not taken seriously.

If you suspect your child may be being abused or feel helpless to stop it, I am not going to start bashing your reasons for not acting I am Begging you to act now. A child doesn’t register time like adults, 15 minutes can be an eternity. ACT NOW! Even one time can shatter a lifetime….

As adults and parents, we arrogantly assume we can tell who poses a risk. If an individual generally behaves well, does good things for others, is respected by others or fun to be with, then we instinctively believe they’re safe. I implore all men and women to please, please listen to your children. Look for changes in behavior and signs of depression, aggression and anxiety. Ask questions. Go to the school. Be diligent. Abuse doesn’t have to be at home. Mom and Dad you are your child’s first super heroes so suit up.

Peace and love Fam,

Angela

December 30, 2014

2014 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 5,600 times in 2014. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 5 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

November 24, 2014

Nature vs Nurture? Are We Doing It Right?

More and more I start thinking of the age-old debate of ‘NATURE vs NURTURE’. Recently there was another school shooting, this time in Florida and it has me wondering. Why are our kids so angry, depressed and prone to violence? Sometimes there is no apparent abuse in the homes of these individuals, there is no truly defined dysfunction….. Some of the most quiet and unassuming individuals are brimming with malcontent and anger. Why? Why are so many teenagers choosing to end their lives rather than deal with bullying and low self-esteem? Why do they cut themselves? I have been on the receiving end of many cries for help, because someone has decided that life is just not worth living. A lot of kids come to me because they feel no one will listen. They feel like even though I am not a doctor, at least I care about them as a person.

Most parents today are so intent upon protecting our kids that we are shielding them from everything. But is that healthy or right? In Nature or the wild other species nurture and care for their young as well,however, even a lioness will allow her cubs to learn to fend for themselves. (Before we go any further this is not in regards to the shooter in the above story but in general.) Human mothers, fathers, grand parents and etc, today are so busy worrying about the boogy man next door, that we may not realize the one being created in the next bedroom. Have you noticed the number of kids that have no idea how to take care of themselves outside of mom or dad has grown? NO? Well I have, and it is very depressing. Young men are becoming so co-dependent on their mothers that they are not even able to hold down themselves without a woman there to guide them or take the reins. Fathers are either absent or fighting a seemingly losing battle for their son’s respect. Young girls that are so lost in the ways of being strong women because their role models have been replaced by reality star icons. The role of Mom is now losing the respect it deserves. Then there is the intense moral dilemma of sex being forced down the throats of everyone within the country by the media….

When we talk to our kids about problems often parents will offer a solution before giving that child a chance to understand the lesson they need to. Think about this for a moment….. How did you learn that fire was hot? Most of us will have touched something as a kid and that sting was enough of a lesson to make us understand that fire was NEVER to be touched again. Life is really no different. LIFE is about learning and processing what we have learned. It is not about giving the answers and protecting. That is actually less about nurturing and more coddling. Going back to bullying because of the recent events, the more kids I talk to , the more I realize that they are so mentally destroyed by words that they can’t help but be devastated by adversity. They have not learned the lesson that not everyone is bad and not everyone is good. Humans can be mean, but that does not reflect your inner being. A lot of parents are no longer teaching their kids to fight back. Not in the physical sense but in the mental and emotional battle of looking to self and realizing that NOTHING anyone ever says about them is worth them internalizing that pain.

I say all of this because we have to do something to help our kids before the next generation are worse. As a parent allow your child to learn the lessons that are needed. It is not healthy to protect them from everything. Lets all learn to teach ourselves which battles are worth fighting for our kids and allow those necessary for growth to be learned. Let kids be kids. Let them get dirty, scrape a knee, pick themselves up and learn that pain can be overcome. It fades…

Ang

November 17, 2014

WHY Do You Exist?

Why are you here? WHY do you exist? What is your purpose? A lot of us may assume that we are unimportant or that we have no real carbon footprint on this earth. That is further from the truth than you can imagine. Everyone has a purpose or calling even if it is nothing more than being a shoulder for a friend in need. Your purpose in life does not end because you get old or fall down a time or two. It doesn’t mean you are destined to be great in the eyes of many. Your purpose big or small is your stamp in this journey called life. In order to know your purpose you have to know who you really are. Who are you? I tried defining myself again and once more I came up with the same conclusion. I define me by how I chose to view myself and love the person in the mirror. I am pretty darn fabulous in my own world. My story is just my story and not who I am. I talk a lot about getting in tune with the one person you can never escape. Yourself. You will always be you so why hide it?

In class the other day the subject of self came up and how we define the person in our mirrors. A lot of individuals have grown to the point where their identity is apparent however there are still some that do not know who they are. I was one of those individuals for years as I have talked about so much over the past few months. I had no clue about my purpose. I did not recognize the value of me being alive. After discussing self, the conversation shifted to elders and aging. This made me think again about how you view you. We are a reflection of our parents and because of that our self is a reflection of their selves. So if our parents are so important it only safe to assume that our path, our identity can be influenced by them as well. You are your father’s daughter. You are your mother’s son. You are not simply a nobody.

You exist to be you completely. You exist because you are meant to be just as you are only better. Stop looking to others to define you and start seeing that you may not be important to them but you are priceless to yourself. When you think about getting older, how do you see your future? Do you see yourself surrounded by kids and grandkids? Do you see yourself successful in a business or venture? Do you see yourself in a rut or stuck? Think about our parents and grandparents. They grew up with a third of what we did and yet they survived and continued on. They paved the way for you to get where you are. Mom and dad are our mentors and first teachers, just as you are to your kids. You show them how to be the amazing ones they are. You teach them to be perfectly imperfect. That is your footprint. That is your legacy. Not just a big bank account or plot of land. Your legacy lies within your ability to touch the heart and mind of another long after you are gone.

Think about your carbon footprint. What about you will stay in the hearts and minds of those you interact with? When you leave home or work is there an absence that is felt? A lot of us may not think so but in truth we are more noticed than we can ever imagine. We are not simply nobodies. We are amazing beings, full of excitement and love.How do I know? Well that is simple…. Have you ever looked at a flower or one of God’s creations and seen it sighing and considering itself worthless? Even a weed has value to the weed. You have value as long as you see it within yourself. You exist because you are meant to. Just as I am.

Ang

October 20, 2014

Stop Living In Yesterday’s Feelings…

If he wasn’t the one before, then just because you miss him, won’t make him the one now. I know it is hard missing someone that you profess to have once loved and cared for. Sometimes we all would like to have the chance to change things. To maybe go back in time and get back to when things were perfect and happy. Unfortunately we can not reverse time. And to be very honest some of us really need to look at the past for what it is and not be clouded by emotion. It is only human to want people to miss us and to hope that they have changed. But we have to remember that our hopes are just that OUR HOPES. They may not be reality. Even if this man wanted to rekindle a romance, that does not mean that he has made a change for it to happen. And that can also be the same case with you.

Sisters STOP living in yesterday’s feelings. Let it go. Let him go. I am not saying that love does not deserve second chances. Far from it. Just be very careful when you are giving out those chances. Every day is a new beginning. Its a fresh start and a chance to change the decisions that cause us so much grief. I say all the time that one of the easiest things to change is our relationships with others. The reason is because we can chose to be free. Most of the time we are only held in bondage by ourselves Not by the other person. This does not go for abusive relationships.. A few months ago I talked about toxic people and recognizing when you are hurting yourself. Too often ladies we have a hand in our own pain. We focus so much on the good times that we forget the bad…. Until reality kicks in.

I am always repeating myself nowadays but these words need to be repeated and heard. “YOU CAN NOT CHANGE ANOTHER PERSON!!” No matter how much you want to, or how many years, months, weeks or days has passed you can not change another person simply because you want them to change. That man that was cheating on you and treating you like dirt can only change if HE comes to the decision to change. He will only see you differently when HE is ready to see you differently. That fellow that was abusive four years ago, can very well be worse now that he has you again. Sure the sweet words and newness of a love rekindled can mask that abusive behavior but it is still there unless HE has gotten help. NOT YOU. You however can escape this by using logic and not emotion. Stop allowing your hopes to be your jailer.

October 10, 2014

Coming Out Of The Dark!!!!! HBD JeweledAngel37!

Happy BIRTHDAY!!!!! It’s been an entire year since the start of this blog and GIRLS. I have been blessed to have been a part of this wonderful endeavor.The more I think about this year the more I can’t help but notice an evolution in myself and in the people around me. The blog was set up to try to share with others the joy that I felt at learning to accept the person in my mirror. But to be honest it evolved so much more than that. I became obsessed with making a difference. I wanted to lead by example. I wanted to bring as much peace to others even if at times I did not feel at peace myself. This morning I woke with a song burning in my heart. Gloria Estefan’s ‘Coming out of the dark’. This was odd to me because I had not heard the song in over a decade and yet I could remember every word this morning. I woke with tears in my eyes because I realized that this was my time of coming out of the dark. It was time that I stopped being a prisoner of ME. For the past few years I have been going through one trial after another. I have walked around with a battered and bruised heart and mind and yet I am still here. I am ALIVE and I am Free. I am Coming out of this darkness in my soul.

It has been so hard walking in my own truth and I admit that at times I faltered. I admit to feeling ashamed of who I was and whom I was becoming! I wanted to hide instead in the comfort of my blankets as if the world would not be able to find me even there. I admit to shedding far too many tears. I admit to feeling weak and lost. To almost giving up. I even did one thing I promised I would never do… I compared me to you.I imagined how much easier life was for others compared to my own. I looked at my support system and found myself often sitting on a ledge alone. As I said before in an article, my inner circle was actually made up of squiggly little lines. It was more of a square. Nothing was what it seemed. The funny thing is, it does not matter to me any longer.

My desire to help is still just as strong if not stronger than it was a year ago. I am writing more and more. I am reaching out more. I realize that I don’t need organizations of people backing me up only in name. I need action. I am truly COMING OUT OF THE DARK! But I am not coming alone. I am going to be pulling and dragging whomever wants to be free. We do not have to sit aside in the quietness of mediocrity. We do not have to be victims of our own hand. We do not have to be sad or alone. We do not have to be hidden fighters! You have been with me for this long. I ask that you please stick with me a little longer. Come with me! Join me in stepping out of the shadows of life. We are each too precious to simply exist. We should all shine. You are my inspiration. Without this blog and readers I would be simply another dreamer afraid to speak. You hear my voice and I hear yours. I will always be here. I will always love you. You are my light. Thank you for everything.

Ang

September 9, 2014

Put Your Child First!

Children are our most precious gifts. It is our duty to protect them from all harm, sometimes that includes protecting them from ourselves. Millions of children have unwanted and abusive sexual experiences. Many of them believe, that someone else knows or should know about their situation, but does little or nothing to protect them.Where is Mom? Dad? A few survivors tell adults what’s going on. They seek protection and help,however oftentimes they are met with disbelief, denial, blame, or even punishment.

How can that be?

It’s hard to imagine that there can be any “good reason” for failing to protect a vulnerable child. Kids may feel doubly betrayed by someone’s failure to help. They were in danger, someone should have protected them and chose not to…period. For this there is no excuse. There is no way to rationalize inaction. Surviving abuse is a long and arduous journey and although scars can heal, wounds can remain constant. Because I am trying to prove a point this article will be a little harsh and may offend a few. For this I ask your forgiveness but I am not sorry.

Recently I was introduced to a young girl that was being sexually assaulted by her mom’s boyfriend. The little girl was lost and afraid and did not know who to turn to. She described how this monster would meet her coming out of the shower and tell her to drop her towel. She cried as she talked about him touching her inappropriately and coming into her room.She was terrified and alone and worse she felt betrayed. Why? She was betrayed because her mother knew about the abuse but did not believe her. She was betrayed because no adult would listen to her. I wish her story was not common however since I began trying to reach young girls over the years, I hear tales of terror like this all the time. Including my own. I am a survivor of abuse and like this young girl, I remember having to double check the bathroom door and make sure it stayed locked, before jumping in the shower. I remember laying awake at night and praying that for once the door would remain shut and no one would enter. I remember the betrayal of family and friends. Her story was mine! I have a dozen other examples and that number keeps growing.

Do you see the pattern? Here 25 years difference and 2 different generations and yet our stories are similar. The common denominator aside from abuse was the betrayal, disbelief and indifference of adults. Being a mom is hard and being a single mom can be very challenging to say the least. It is a privilege so many enjoy but some (married or not), squander away. Daily there are news reports about moms that have harmed or allowed to be harmed their own children. Why? Is it because of men? Are some women so selfish and focused on what or who they want that they are willing to overlook their child to do it? Is having a man more important than making sure that your daughter/son is safe? Does your child not have value?

Put them first.

Understand that ALL claims of abuse must be investigated and believed until proven otherwise. If you are afraid of being alone, then imagine how lonely your child feels living with this nightmare. They depend on you to take care of them. When we made the choice to be mothers, we also chose to forgo self to a point. That means that if we have to let go of someone that is not a fit for our family then so be it. Tomorrow is a new day and eventually we will find love again. If you suspect a child is being abused, please for the love of all things good, call someone. DO something. ACT immediately. Be a champion for someone that needs you. Be that warrior mother and not an enabler.

Ang

September 5, 2014

When Would You Rather Receive Your Flowers, While Alive or Dead?

When would you rather receive your flowers, while alive or dead? I know that is an unnerving statement but it needs to be said. Turn on the TV or internet and there will be some story related to Domestic Violence. It seems to be the one thing that is hard to escape, and yet we can change it. We CANNOT change the abuser but we CAN change ourselves. This piece will seem a little harsh, but, it is said with much love. It goes out to men and women alike, considering the way that a good many women are becoming just as violent as their male counterparts. STOP TRYING TO JUSTIFY ABUSE!!! I say this a thousand times. LOVE does not HURT! It does not hit. It does not stalk. It does not obsess. It does not burn clothes. None of those things are love, so why do we continuously say so when we try to defend our attacker?

Ask yourself why? Why do you stay? Don’t judge yourself and don’t think about how others may judge you. Just think of why you choose to stay. Is it really out of fear? Are you afraid of being alone? Are you afraid to not have love? Are you perhaps blinded by the fear of failure that you, think staying will somehow make the situation different? None of these things make you a bad person. It really doesn’t but here is the deal. We are told all the time to just pray about a situation and it will change. But just like with the flowers, when do you want to receive your prayer answers, alive or dead? Continue to pray for the person that has harmed you but get OUT if you can.

STOP saying he/she loves me! Who are you really trying to convince? yourself or everyone else?An abuser may care about you but that doesn’t equal to love. Love doesn’t give you a black eye. If he loves you why does he isolate you… berate you…. beat you? Is that love, because if it is, then why do so many prisoners of war not see it as such? Stockholm’s Syndrome (a victim’s emotional “bonding” with their abuser) can trick a lot of people into thinking that this horrendous treatment is love. This way of thinking is why so many of us go back.
STOP being afraid to be alone! If you are in an abusive relationship, isolated and afraid to trust then guess what? You are alone already. Now try being alone without having to walk on eggshells. Stop listening to lies. I listened to a friend talk about her abuser. She spoke about him with such love and affection that my heart went out to her. He talked to her about trust and that if he took her back he would need access to everything. He described how she would not be able to have friends and how she would basically be under his control. None of those things stood out to her as she was relaying his words. She chose to forget the black eyes. She only heard him talking about love. She desperately wants to be loved and he played on all of her feelings. Is that love? Sometimes Love really means loving the person in your mirror enough to be with them for a while. Get comfortable being alone. It doesn’t mean you will stay that way. Being alone is not a death sentence especially if you love the company you keep.

Love you enough to understand that you can not change anyone only you. Don’t be a victim of you. Staying or going back to an abusive relationship does not make you a martyr it makes you hurt. Love can be bittersweet but it is never physically or mentally painful. Stop confusing obsession and control with love. Stop allowing your own insecurities keep you in bondage. Just as victims with Stockholm’s can be treated and helped, so can you. You are never alone. Not really. There are those of us like myself that will always be there for you. Get help where you can. Make sure I can give your flowers to you while you can still smell them.

Ang

August 29, 2014

Beauty…That is You!

Beauty

Why do you refuse to see…. the beauty that is you?

Look in the mirror,

Do you see that smile,

that grin, those eyes and hair?

That is you!

That is beauty!

Do you see a heart full of love and understanding?

Do you see a mind so full of wonder and imagining?

That is you!

That is beauty!

If you can’t see beauty, come here sister, let me show you how….

Stand before your mirror, take off your weave, take off your earrings, lashes, and makeup…

Remove your fashionable clothes and stand proudly, naked as the day you were born…

Run your fingers through the crown that you have always adorned

Stare long and hard at the person there before you. Who is she?

She is you.

She is me.

She is we…

And we are beauty!

Stand there a few moments longer until it starts to feel funny.

Tell yourself all the things that you don’t like and want to change. Be honest honey.

This is not to tear you down,

So turn off that frown.

Look long at hard, who is she?

She is you.

She is me.

She is we.

And we are beauty!

So you have a little more cushion here or there? No matter.

Bodies can change, weight can be lost, but will that make you better?

No? Why not? People say all the time how happy they are being thin or thick.

They talk about the physical as if it isn’t fleeting,

Forgetting all the while that even the heart stops beating.

Your body means nothing, not your booty or boobs

Even the best plastic surgeon can’t keep up a ruse

Look back at that person in YOUR mirror. Now close your eyes and wish to change.

Wish to change your hair, your eyes, your body and image….Wish for money and fame, diamonds and cars

Wish with all your might to be living large.

Open your eyes and what do you see

Nothing has changed you are still you. I am still me.

Is it a bad thing? No it is fine…

We are both still descended from an amazing line…

We are beauty!

Your hair is your own, it is your crown

Wear it proudly

Be you loudly.

Your clothes are an extension of you.

They don’t have to compare to someone else’s boo.

You are who you are, as well you should.

Smile sister, I knew you could.

Your reflection is the real you and that is good.

You are human and as such not perfect,

Your body is your body not a defect.

Accept who you are and be amazed

You don’t have to conform

You are still norm

You are beauty personified,

That is Beauty,

That is you.

August 26, 2014

Are You The ‘Path Of Least Resistance’?

Are you ‘the path of least resistance’? Often I talk to men about how they see women and themselves. The subject came up about the way some men treat the women that they meet. Some of us ladies assume that we have to be a certain type of woman or we go out of our way to catch the attention of a man. We will basically walk around darn near naked, if that will get the attention of the man we want. Some of us will become an alter ego, where we are basically only mimicking the woman that we assume he wants, and hiding our true selves. All of this we do but the shocking thing is, according to a good many men, this does not endear us to him. Sure you caught his attention. Now what? Beauty fades. Booties sag… Bodies even though they can be altered still get old. Some men honestly want more than just a pretty face and a nice body. Sure it is nice but at the end of the day, they have their pick of different available bodies willing to be used.

I look at myself and at the pictures I take. The way I choose to dress… I look at the people I associate myself with. Why do I do it? Why do I dress the way that I do? Why am I so concerned about my appearance? Why do I care what men think of me? I know a lot of people will look at this article and assume I am going to start bashing women. I am not going to do that. Instead I am simply asking you to look at who you are and who you want to be. The question above “Are you the path of least resistance?” is meant to make you think. When I talked to my friend and a few dozen other men I asked the question, “Do men already have a set idea about the woman they want to be with?” The majority of them admitted that they do. Not surprising however, the woman they want is NOT the one twerking in the video. She is the toy for most.

When asked to look at two different pictures of women, one of them with a woman dressed very provocative and the other with a one dressed demurely, most of the men stated that if they were just looking to have sex they would move based on appearance to the ‘path of least resistance’. In other words the woman dressed in the sexy attire seems to be the easier option. Some men assume that a woman dressed very conservatively will take more work. But if a woman is parading around and looking as if she is ‘on the prowl’, all he has to do is spit minimal game and she will fall for it. It’s not to say that she is not to be respected but that she may give the impression that she does not respect herself. We see this type of behavior all the time on social media. Women will take booty pics, grown and sexy challenges, post wild statements or even refer to sex constantly in order to get noticed. We do it even though this is the wrong type of attention. We do it, in spite of the way that some men immediately after seeing those pics or talking to us, start looking at us as nothing more than a wet hole. Sorry to be vulgar but its true.

No one is saying to play hard to get. No one is saying start walking around with dresses down to our knees…. No… What I am saying is give him a chance to earn the right to see the sexiest side of you. Stop putting yourself out there with a target on your back. Especially if you are trying to build a relationship. You don’t have to be a sex star all of the time. This does not make you a better woman. It makes you easier prey. Put your boobs and booty away. Stand up straight and face forward. If you want to twerk for your man do it at home and not online and do it for his eyes only. Sex and sexy behavior should be a fun past time and NOT a coat of armor. You are too precious as an individual to keep allowing yourself to be nothing more than the easiest move on a chess board.

Ang

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jeweledangel37's Blog

Life affirmations to make women & men more comfortable being the beautiful, gorgeous and worthy beings they are.