Thanks much but the stories on this thread...I cried, laughed and cried again. And that’s not cliche’.
For a long time I bought into the idea that “real men” never cry. I’ve traveled a very long path from a very macho persona that was a necessary shield to now. My journey regaining humanity should never have happened when I think of the (very few) opportunities.
Child abuse is a unique torture that can shape a forming human being into a tool, an automaton or a monster fueled by hatred to wreak Hell on his tormentors...nothing good comes from it.
I’ve finally forgiven mine. Mostly. I wonder if I’m shouldering the karma of bad people or just unlucky. But hey, I’ve gotten to where I cry over an actor’s cue. I’m finally regaining humanity.
BTW: Thanks for the encouragement to write but what I have in the drawer has all been done to death by other writers. The only original story I have (my personal life) is far too depressing to sell no matter how I tell it. I’m striving to make it a success story. The light of hope remains as a beacon.
Reading that reminded me of the movie Pursuit of Happyness - have you seen it? If you have, you know it is incredibly depressing through the entire thing - so much so that my husband YELLED at me for making him watch it, feeling he had been utterly misled! - up until the very end, when his effort is completely validated, as was the time we spent viewing it all. I'm praying for your soon success story.