Posts Tagged ‘Abuse’

Relax!

January 29, 2016

Easier said than done.  However in order to enjoy my day I am going to now allow myself 15 minutes to breathe mindfully, to stretch easily, and to pray to keep my mind in a positive mode.

The reason I am feeling in need of a brief “regenerative relaxation” is because I just spent a bit more time than I planned on my stressmanagementmagic.com blog. My subject was about the homeless and the plight of us all, therein.

It may have sounded negative, but I believe I ended the post with ideas to help however many individuals choose to follow.  I follow my own advice.  I also allow myself to regenerate and relax after writing something that made my blood boil for a moment or two.

CREATE a beautiful day for yourself.  I will be in the process of doing the same as soon as this post is posted!  God help and bless us all.

FYI: if you read that blog, remember I have helped people, and will continue to do so when I can and feel the situation is real.

Times are tough. Out of work? Newly out of work? Trying to make ends meet?

October 23, 2015

“Times are tough now” I heard someone say.  I thought that to my knowledge, human times have always been tough.  My husband came home from work last night exhausted.  He has a dynamite work ethic, loyalty to his company – and he always goes the extra mile.  It’s so unfair to him that I am no longer able to do what I used to do before becoming disabled.

What about you?  Is your husband, or mate, or partner or whatever name you use for the person you share your life with, able to find work?  Newly out of work?

If you have children, are a single parent, or have the similar good traits my husband has, it has to be one of the most difficult times in your lives.  But no worries, just when things quiet down and are in hand, another challenge will arise for you to meet!  I’m not kidding and I’m not being sarcastic.  It is the truth.

Just keep in mind, if you love someone, you really have no choice but to continue endeavoring to make ends meet.  Nothing was ever handed to us, and my husband looks at me when I commend him for all his work and he simply says, “I don’t have a choice.”

You don’t if you don’t want to be a dependent product of this society.  You can scheme and cheat, but you will never be at peace within – unless of course you are a politician!  That’s a whole different story.  At least a billion dollars spent on attaining the office of president all added up.  It is ridiculous.  It is also ridiculous that as soon as the politicians start “smoozing” the public, suddenly there are no wars, no starvation, no illegal immigrant problem.  The only thing happening is a bunch of people (maybe one or two still with morals and values) – fighting to be president.  I digress……

Be careful when there is no work.  The tendency for humans is to seek relief.  “Take the edge” off of the stress.  “Relax for a while.”

This gives birth to a whole new problem.  Relief with alcohol, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, an affair (sadly this can happen) – an entire spin-off of new problems that can be worse than pinching pennies. A newly inadequate way to handle the problems is to turn to technology.  Technology, for all its wonder, is TEARING THE STRENGTH OF AMERICA into shreds. Disassembling the family.  Any poor way to handle problems can be found on the Internet.

It fills the heads of children and adults with UNrealistic persons who seem to care. Adventures that take a person away from REALity.  It is one of the most dangerous weapons that was ever created.  There is a prophecy in Native American culture that says when there is a web around the world,it is the beginning of the end.

MONITOR yourselves.  Be aware of signs and signals that may suggest that something else besides exhaustion is going on.  I have NO concrete answer for handling all that can happen.  I only have suggestions.  Some suggestions that, I have seen over the years, really help to mend the tear in the foundation of your family or the persons in your life that matter.

My best selection of ways to get through this is from people I have known and counseled over the years – 40 years.  (That’s scary and another adventure to face: aging). Back to current times.

  1.  Pray, trust God and seek fellow human beings that believe in similar things.  Where there are two or three gathered together, there is power untold provided to us.  But this resolve calls for FAITH.  It calls for believing in power that cannot be seen; in trusting in more than you.   My faith has increased substantially since my accident.  I was called upon to use what I’ve always said I have, and that was my faith and belief of the power of prayer.  I’ve seen others heal through “using” what they verbally say they believe.
  1.  Keep looking.  Think about  “realistically” seeking a modified position of your old career – or a new career entirely.  Keep looking.
  1.  Sit down with your VIP and discuss ways to cut expenses.  Plan meals – it is cheaper than fast food and better for you.  If you PLAN, you can cut costs.
  1.  Say NO to frivolous purchases.  Don’t just snap, but give others the benefit of being a human (often a child WILL understand as appreciate being included)  We all “want things”.  LIMIT TV and COMPUTER time.  That limits commercials.
  1.  Keep a positive attitude.  Don’t fight about petty things.  It takes two to make a war.  Use your intellect.  Use love.  Stay hopeful!  PRAY.

PAY ATTENTION!

April 10, 2015

Yesterday I came within a breath of killing a fourteen or fifteen year old boy. I thank God I was NOT distracted, but was paying attention to my driving.

I was going a safe and legal speed on a street near schools. I was in the left lane. Without warning a boy rode his bike directly in front of my car.

I do thank God I was paying attention or he would have likely been dead, and I would have had an irreparably damaged heart.

It looked like he was going as fast as he could and was doing some sort of maneuver to get across to the other side of the street fast. But I saw his face and immediately slammed on my breaks and turned to the opposite side of the street-the lane nearest the center at the same time. I had to turn. Though my breaks stopped me, if I hadn’t, he would have been hit – he was that close.

I again thank God I did not coming “screeching” to a halt, but my breaks stopped me immediately as I was turning into the other lane.

No one had been coming towards me in that lane, and I only just now realized no one was close enough following me for me to have him or her hit me. I think my swerving was in sync with my turning.

He biked to the other side, obviously shaken. I put my window down and he yelled, “I am so sorry!”

I yelled back, “Thank God I didn’t hit you, but from now on BE CAREFUL. He looked as if he was waiting for me to scream and yell – but I didn’t. I just breathed a sigh of relief and drove on.

So many circumstances were right to leave the boy unharmed, and me not grieving along with his parents.

I felt this was important enough to write as sometimes we all get busy while driving.

I don’t drink, text, or put on makeup and drive. I have talked on the phone and changed my music…both of those are distracting too.

Texting while driving is responsible for over 16,000 deaths and is the number one cause of a teenager driving.

Adults do it too. I’ve seen so many adults talking on phone, eating, texting or doing something other than driving!

So many unnecessary deaths and accidents are caused by not paying attention! Ironically, last week I felt like I hadn’t been doing so, so I wrote a note and put it near my odometer. The note said ‘PAY ATTENTION.”

A strange day!

March 16, 2015

I could have given up as my keyboard has been turning off and it is kind of distracting – HOWEVER, this has been such a strange day thus far, I need to share it.  There will be two posts today.

The first one was my dream last night:

I saw the large pool and it was so clear I could see how deep it was. No one was swimming in the pool, no one near except a man and a woman who stood near the side of the pool in the shallow area. They spoke softly. As I walked the far edge of the pool I could hear his voice, now gruff and much louder. I could also hear the shrill and obvious displeasure in her voice. Both were talking at the same time.

I walked to the concert area and the group of women who had been practicing for weeks were arguing with four members of another group. I understood after all the practice they dedicated, they wanted to present their interpretation of the play.

I also knew the members of the other group, far more experienced and professional, and they were simply trying to offer suggestions to refine and excite the performances. Everyone was chattering loudly and defensively at the same time.

No one understood the others motives, really, they were just trying to hold on to what was so important it wound up in an arguement.

As I left the hall one frail girl asked a man of questionable character, if he could score any drugs. I walked by them quietly.

I entered the door to the left and saw the group that had been in the concert hall. Don’t know how they had gotten there without passing me in the hallway. The experienced and really good group were discouraged. They were talking about how they had spent years on the road working hard and still were left with a pittance and no place to go at the moment.

Somehow I knew the person who usually occupied the opulent and airy room. The bedroom had been neat, but once I spoke to the owner, and asked him if they could stay the night, and they knew it was okay, they began to drop their bags and instruments and sit or relax, one by one on a bed or chair.

The once attractive woman, now worn and exhausted, began to sing softly. Her sweet voice sent chills through my body as I recognized the words, “how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me…”

The words faded into silence as she wearily closed her eyes and her constantly wringing hands and body relaxed into a deep sleep. She was oblivious to the world around her. I could see her as a beautiful young woman. She still was beautiful in an ethereal way.

I knew they needed money and I opened my bag to find lots of money. There were rolled bills, a stack of flat bills – topped with a hundred dollar bill. There were several rolls of money and a heavy bag of change. I peeked in it and there were only quarters and half dollars. I had no idea where the money came from but felt pressed to count it.

I looked around and everyone else was either resting on a bed (or sitting)  with a laptop near by, or one form or another of the almighty iphone. Each donned tiny earphones placed carefully at the lobe of their own ears. One man both looked and listened at two different electrical appliances at once, with the seriousness of someone trying to do the impossible “perhaps unboil an egg” I thought.

I remembered going to an enormous “event” earlier. The top of the building looked like the striped and vibrant design of an old time circus. Everyone had prepaid to enter.

I looked around and thought, “I am in the midst of so many things that mean absolutely nothing. Everyone works so hard and pay with the hours of their lives, and then they pay to enter this place and spend all of their money on things that mean NOTHING.”
It seemed preposterous to me.

I came back to the present moment  began to count the cash. The bound stacks of money were different. Some lighter in tones and some quite a bit darker. I thought it might be counterfeit. Then I thought, it’s all counterfeit anyway…bills made of paper that purchase things that mean nothing. I thought of my home. Modest, sturdy, a place to sleep and be tied to day after day. – I paid almost $700.00 in interest alone. Everything seems to be counterfeit. “You pay to live and it’s all meaningless,” I thought.

$5,500 thus far. I knew it all was placed before our eyes (technology, things and money) to snare us into the trap. The almighty we dedicated our lives to brought distance and arguing between peoples. It took without return, except what “appeared” to be a fleeting moment of worth.

I thought all the beauty and things of actual value given to us freely, and how we all seemed to push these things aside for the shiny gold coin. I thought of God and opened my eyes and realized I had been dreaming.

—————————————————–

The second post will be after I grab something to eat.  I felt my stomach hurt.  God bless all those who find themselves hungry with nothing to eat.

Brad Culpepper – Insurance fraud or not?

February 5, 2015

Brad Culpepper, an Ex-NFL player has been accused of insurance fraud!

His case is really a complex one.
I HAVE to take strong pain medication for my injuries and two neurosurgeries that followed – JUST TO allow me to FUNCTION “almost normally”.

Because you can look at someone and see him or her act normally – at least in your visual perception – it does NOT me that person is without injuries or pain! If you saw his intrview he did take off his shirt and show two of the injuries.

I think most insurance companies are a total rip-off anyway. You have homeowners IN CASE something horrible happens and you need help. You have car insurance IN CASE you are in an accident. You have medical and dental insurance IN CASE you need work done on your body or teeth. You have life insurance for years, JUST IN CASE you die unexpectedly. It’s all pretty morbid.

Something many people don’t know is that most term life insurance policies (ones you think will leave your loved ones monetarily set) raise their premiums after ten years of you paying premiums. Most people don’t pay too much attention to paperwork, and my friend didn’t either. After ten years of paying a policy on her husband they upped the payments so high she could not afford to pay premiums, so she cancelled. Her husband died from a heart attack shortly thereafter.

There is a way to keep that from happening. IF YOUR COMPANY WILL DO IT, change that term life policy / or whole life, to “universal life policy” and you may pay a bit more each premium, but the payments will NEVER go up, and the payout is guaranteed the same!

Back to the subject matter! If I had published this yesterday I would have said the insurance company is full of garbage. Now I am sitting on the fence.

I do know when severely injured, pain and even some disabilites can be OVERWHELMNG. I am a Christian so suicide is out of the question – but there were more times than a “few” I really thought I wished I could kill myself. I am over that now with lots of prayers, ( a wonderful God), TIME (an inordinant amount of time), AND pain meds to get managing my pain so I can function and have a little life.

Even with pain meds I still deal with severe nerve pain and “other invisible problems.” I taught fitness for years, but I never thought of the nerves in the body until mine were damaged and some even killed!

As I wrote, some of my disabilities are visible. I have to use a cane. MANY more are invisible to the naked eye. I understand people looking at someone with those invisible disabilities and on pain meds, and think “they aren’t disabled at all!” BS.

DO NOT JUDGE SOMEONE because they are strong enough mentally and physically to “look” like they are fully functional and capable. Would you rather have them whine and cry and be intrusive to YOUR feeling good. You have a right to feel good. I am not going to wear a sign with specifics about my disability and pain.

Good for Brad in continuing his life. That being said, I read that he began mixed martial arts before receiving a settlement of $175,000.00. That is a difficult sport, unless perhaps, he was participating in a very modified program. That is possible. Perhaps in being active and accepting “limits” he helped his body to heal even more in time. That is possible too.

Here is where I stand on this particular subject. I am no one’s judge. No one can jump in my body and feel my pain, nor my motivation to work through constant pain.

Although a part of me says, I am glad he got a settlement. I saw his visible injuries, and he was obviously disabled in some ways, maybe many. I personally know MENTAL injury can take a constant toll on one’s life!

Insurance companies get their money regardless – unless the horrific happens. If he were taking a monthly disability year after year after year, like SO MANY FLAKES and FAKERS do, it would be different. He took a settlement. Perhaps then his tenacious spirit healed him further mentally and physically. I like to think in positive terms. Good for him! At least someone with a history of working and real injuries got something!!!

I find it disgusting that a man with REAL and PERMANENT injuries takes a settlement, agreed upon by the insurance company and himself. and then in their eyes- he should not get better. If he heals any more he is a faker. The healing must stop. Certainly if he is able to participate, working through the incredible pain, and taking heavy duty pain pills, it means he wasn’t really hurt. Come on.

I hope I am right, but again, I am no one’s judge on this planet earth. It is up to each individual how he or she lives life! If you are truthful then you cannot be caught in a lie. If you are honorable your character will excel and the person you are will blossom into something wonderful! If you LOVE, you cannot go wrong!

Have a stellar day. We all have the power to choose how our day unwinds. We have, at least, the power to respond to each thing that happens to us, and that is 100% all the time. I choose onward and upward!

4 MILLION women are beaten and abused each year.

June 6, 2014

Is that shocking?

Well how’s this for a shocker? That is in the USA – not a third world country! I tried to find statistics on men being beaten or killed by their spouse or partner, but I came up with pretty much nothing. I know there have been some such instances.

The leading cause of violence to women fifteen to forty-four, ( car accidents, mugging and rapes combined) is caused by their husband or domestic partner.)

Here is another stunning fact. 16% of young men between the ages of eleven and twenty are serving time for killing their mother’s abusers.

Something is wrong with this picture! Agreed!

I spoke to a weapons expert in length day before yesterday, and he was kind enough to share some pretty important tips for women who are, or may be in a position to be beaten,

or even worse.   Marshall also teaches a self-defense class.

He seemed appalled that anyone would touch a woman in that manner. He seems to be a really decent man. This is what he shared with me.

1. No stun gun. The stun gun must be held against a person 15 seconds to be effective. In an emergency situation, one mistake and it’s over.

2. No knife. Same result if you aren’t fast and an expert.

3. No gun – unless you have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, know how to use it, and are defending your own life. God forbid you are ever in that scenario!

4. No taser as you have to aim and hit dead on. Even if that happens the connection can be pulled off in most circumstances. Police almost always have a back-up.

5. Pepper Spray – YES! YES! YES! Have your pepper spray in a pocket or concealed within immediate reach. Before he can reach you, spray directly in his eyes. It has to be either in your hand so it is unseen, or concealed in some manner, because if he sees it he can block the spray from his eyes.

This is something Marshall told me that I found extremely interesting. Once you spray the attacker – keep spraying directly in the eyes until the canister is completely empty!

That is important.

He assured me that if you use the whole can you will have time to grab whatever you need (like car keys and a purse)-pick- up the baby (babies) – and escape.

It will not permanently damage the eyes, but will disable your attacker.

He suggested that if you’ve never used a pepper spray before, buy an extra one and go some place and practice.

Practice the “draw”- practice spraying – spray the entire container, and practice, practice, practice.

Rehearse it in your mind an emergency scenario. Keep in mind wind/or a fan can send the spray where it shouldn’t go, so be careful!

Another tip I got was when you are walking alone, keep spray in hand, or car keys. Don’t put yourself in harm’s way, and walk proudly, keeping an eye on your surroundings if you feel insecure.

I firmly believe if a man or woman is drunk – IT IS NOT the time to fight.  Drunks cannot be reasoned with, and sometimes get violent.  Also, I have known women who “egg a man on” – taunt him with words that instigate a man to loose control.  NO that is not reason to abuse physically, but women can sometimes STOP a situation from accelerating by simply being quiet and walking away.

Some good  advice is to NOT listen to music or TALK ON THE PHONE, when you are the least bit nervous about walking or running. Those things put you at a real disadvantage. I know it’s not the most fun, but neither is abuse!

LASTLY – I am aware that there are men who are abused.

I actually have known a man who had a knife drawn on him by his own wife.

In the instance of man vs. woman, I believe that men are born stronger than women…even a small man can probably handle a woman strength-wise. I actually had an attempted rape by a man much smaller than myself. He was able to drop me on the floor quickly.

I thank God I was able to talk my way out of that situation.

Honestly, I do not know how a man would handle a woman abuser, except possibly “contain” her until she calms down – or better yet, WALK AWAY! Get out of the situation, and don’t return for more unless there is a conversation, and counseling. Why put yourself in a volitale position?

I pray you never have ANY abuse (verbal or physical) – man, or woman.  Let’s try to use our intelligence to solve problems…..Have a safe weekend and God bless you!

 

 

 

 

 

The Dream

November 16, 2011

I awoke from a dream three minutes ago and felt compelled to write it down. It’s 6:50 AM. It could have been today’s reality; it was such an intense dream. It will stay with me, again, for a long while. Maybe you’ve been there.

I was thirty-five years younger, and I was meeting friends and other couples to go on a bus trip. I was with the man I had just married.

He was a con artist but that was not something I could not see at the time. Every one told me not to marry him, but how could I have known? Oh yes, the little voice from within told me not to do it, but I met him and fell into his arms…hurt from a failed marriage, with a man who never got close to me except to have two children.

I was hungry for “LOVE and affection”. I needed a DREAM.

My dream of being in love and having the perfect family had been
dashed, ending with my husband having a blatant affair, and refusing to give it up, even after counseling.

This man knew who and what he wanted, and what he wanted was me. He wanted all of me. He wanted my joy, my happiness, my beautiful children and home, my sex, my money – he wanted everything.

I immersed my true spirit with a cup of alcohol, which I thought relaxed me – then added a dash of pot, and with that managed to fool myself into just WHO he really was. I NEEDED that dream.

Anyway, we were on the bus and he stepped off for a few, with some of the other guys, and when he came back, he was totally someone else. He was angry. He moved away from me, and I wasn’t sure why. Everyone on the bus was shocked.

They were in the same dream as I was, and were deluded in their lives.

By then I knew he was drunk. I didn’t know what else he’d done, I assumed crank or pot, or another woman, but he was DIFFERENT. He was indifferent to me, and mad at me and began to show another self.

He flirted for a brief moment with a friend, and then I saw he was
almost laying on the floor, insecure, and obviously not the man I thought I knew.

I told one of the girls “I knew I shouldn’t have married him”, and he heard me and wreathed upright and said, “What did you say?”
The venom almost dripped from his mouth like a mad dog.

He was angry again. Strangely, I felt compassion for him.

I awoke. The dream seemed to last the night. I was startled. That dream was my reality thirty-five years ago, and it still haunts me in my sleep.

I have since forgiven myself, but it took almost twenty-five years to do that, and I still ask God for forgiveness for the horror my children saw, and perhaps the mistakes they are making because of it………

Children don’t learn from words. They learn from what they see and hear.

I am listening to my heart and the holy voice from within these days. I knew I must write this down to share. I prayed several days ago for the motivation and inspiration to once write again.

Yesterday I had a better dream. It was about a holy kiss. I knew I was supposed to write that too, but I “put it off” to take care of catching up from a trip. I will not do that again. When I am given inspiration, I will share it in the hope it will be inspiring to someone and that I will be sharing the love and hope I’ve been given.

A Holy Kiss will be written later today. CREATE your life in reality and with intellect and a fair helping of emotion. Depend on
God and don’t give up!