Minivan Moments

This country today seems more and more abusive to me. Maybe that is how all generations feel when they approach mid-life. I can't be sure. But it feels true to me. Growing up, i experienced emotional abuse and sexual abuse. I have experienced near-physical abuse (which is basically physical abuse that doesn't threaten your life and/or isn't "that bad") in many relationships. So i know a thing or two about abuse. Some things i know about abuse: ~ it doesn't have to leave a physical mark to damage a person forever . ~ it doesn't have to be daily to have a terrible impact on the victim's ability to function normally. ~ it goes undetected nearly as often (if not more often) as it gets reported or discovered. I know one more thing about abuse... sometimes, we abuse ourselves. Sometimes, the biggest enemy in our life is inside our own head. The voice of shame. The cry of condemnation. The whisper of regret. The shout of insignificance. The clamor ...

So, it has certainly been awhile since i've dropped in to say "hello!" My life has been quite full, and blogging just didn't make the cut. Yet i've found myself longing for the creative outlet. So, here i am. :) As 2013 wound down, i began the journey of re-focusing. I believe this is a journey because it often comes with twists and turns as we adjust to life's ever-changing landscape. For now, i am focusing on Family and Home and Health. Last year, i developed side effects in my condition (Hashimoto's Thyroiditis) that complicated my lifestyle and challenged my illusion of my personal health. I had to determine that giving up eating wheat gluten was less of a struggle than the physical effects of continuing to ignore that advice. So, as i write this entry, i am one year gluten-free. It has been quite a journey in itself - gluten is a complicated matter in this country with all of its processed foods and unknown chemical ingredients. I am certainly mor...