Week 24: Getting To Know You Again

This week I think was one of the most anticipated ones I've had this year. We watched the This I Believe videos we have been working on for the past week or so. Each one revealed a little bit of us. Some beliefs were topical, but nonetheless important. But some were a piece of the person they put on display for us. Mine was one of the latter. My video was a lot harder to watch for me than I thought it would be. The story of my abusive relationship is something I've had to retell fairly often. But to put it in front of people I don't know well was a different experience. I felt like now my experience was up for scrutiny and that it could be twisted. I began to fear the rumors starting again. That word would get around that I talked about it to the people who started it all.
But I remembered that it is my story. It's not theirs. It's between me and my abuser and no one else. I have every right to tell people what happened. So I did. And it was strangely liberating. Walking into class this Friday felt different. It feels like, no matter how they try to judge me, they were given my side of the story at long last. I feel at peace with it.
And every story that was told only helped me to realize that I am not alone. All of us have known some kind of struggle, but we can get through it.
The theme for this week was revelation.

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