Survivor Stories

LOVE AND SURPRISE

It was the morning before Valentine’s Day in my 2nd period sophomore creative writing class back in high school. Our teacher Mr. C explained that each of us was to give a one minute or less presentation in front of the class the next day. The instructions from him were short and sweet, “Show me love and surprise me.” It was his ingenious way of getting us into an imaginative mode for producing a short story about matters of the heart. Relationships, breakups, first kisses, and the like.

I couldn’t come up with an idea until I arrived at school the next morning. When opening my locker, several textbooks tumbled off the shelf and into the hallway. Oddly, that disruption did the trick. It became clear then what I’d do one hour later. After attendance was taken, Mr. C pointed to the back of the room by the windows. We were presenting in reverse alphabetical order. I’d be third from the last to go.

Before class began, numerous classmates shared what they were going to do. I kept tight-lipped on my idea. Building suspense for my great reveal. There were many hits and a few misses with the twenty-six students preceding me in this parade of love. Including a mock marriage proposal. The reading of a beautifully worded Hallmark card. The use of sign language in expressing the chorus from Foreigner’s song “I Want to Know What Love Is”. Plus, plenty of other gushy romantic gestures.

The queue finally snaked its way to the last row of desks. Tick tock. Tick tock. My time was close at hand. Then when Julie finished and took her seat, it was mine all mine. I was excited, nervous, and confident. Positioning myself before those twenty-nine jurors. I turned toward our teacher seated at his desk and asked if he’d please volunteer to be part of my presentation. He agreed to be my magician’s assistant and faced me as I directed him to stand on his mark. Urging him to trust me and follow my lead. I could have changed my mind right there. I did not. It happened. I leaned in and hugged him tightly. He reciprocated. We stood locked in a long embrace. I eventually let go and he did the same. I walked back to my desk while processing what had just taken place.

As my friend Tammy was advancing to the front of the room, I raised my hand and asked for permission to speak before her presentation started. Mr. C nodded his approval. Giving me the floor to say what I needed to say. I stood and requested that he check his left back pants pocket. He did just that. Then he went into his right back pocket and quickly returned inside that first pocket he’d already checked. He perplexedly looked toward me. As did every student in that room. But they weren’t looking at me. They were focused on what I was holding in my hand. Mr. C exclaimed in bewilderment, “You have my wallet. Why did you take that? How did you take that?”

I revisited for everyone the instructions he gave us the previous day for the assignment given in two parts. To show him love. And surprise him. This resulted in the tender hug I gave him. And the surprise. The pickpocketing of his wallet.

We all knew that Mr. C had unorthodox teaching methods. Always encouraging us to think well outside the box. But this was truly bananas. I had brazenly pulled a wild Jesse James stunt. Committing larceny and a possible Level 6 felony in front of a roomful of witnesses. I stood frozen. My fellow fifteen-year-old classmates appeared dumbfounded. Waiting to see what he’d do next. He calmly walked over to me. Taking his wallet gently from my hand and replacing it in his pocket. He gazed into my cleverly playful eyes, smiled, and warmly hugged me.

-Love sure has a wonderful way of surprising all of us.

(Love & Surprise is loosely based on a true story from my high school days. For years I’ve been inspired by life’s everyday moments. The ones that are simple, relatable, and connect us together. So that’s what I write about. Sharing dozens of mostly true stories from my life with my editors and readers. This Valentine’s story reminds us that love is all around. Ready to surprise us. Sometimes in the most unexpected and exciting ways.   

As a survivor of both sexual and domestic violence, I’ve come to recognize the healing power of embracing these simple moments in life. That’s the stuff that brings me lots of happiness. Helping me in my ongoing efforts to overcome PTSD & the significant injuries I sustained following my trauma.  So, I often write about this good stuff. The everyday simplicity. Kind of like Norman Rockwell illustrations in 700 words. Smiley face.)

Cheers, 

Blake 

SURVIVED FOR A PURPOSE

This painting represents my past, current and future in my journey as a survivor of Sexual Assault. I was sexually assaulted in a medical setting. After my assault I became very upset with God. I felt isolated and scared. However, about 4 or 5 months after my assault I found a church named Christ’s Church of the Valley (CCV). I started in a Women’s Trauma Group and attending CCV’s Sunday services. Through them I built my connection with God again. A couple months later the man who assaulted me committed suicide. His suicide has had a stain of confusion on my healing journey. However, through the tears and continually working through my fears I have found joy and beauty in my life. My healing is not linear and I don’t expect that to change. However, I believe I survived for a reason and I want that reason to bring about a positive future. 

-Survivor

MY FATHER USED AND ABUSED ME  

My father used and abused me.  My mom was busy with her career. 

When I was 15 I was beaten by two guys who tried to rape me. One was holding a knife to my throat. I fought. By pure luck of the intervention of others they did not rape me, they did not kill me.

I was raped by my cousin. I did not fight. I was surprised and confused.  My fiancé was taken by police for double murder, so I was suspected of having a part in it. I did not know anything. Nobody believed me. I almost went crazy after this.  

I was beaten and raped by a driver of the Head of the Administration. He threatened to kill me. He could, but he did not. I survived. He went unpunished.  

I was raped by my friend who later with his friends tried to abduct me. The police shouted at the car tires when they were driving away with me in it. I was saved, but nobody was punished. I suspect that he paid his way out.  

I was almost murdered by an enraged guy who tried to run me over by his truck after he beat me up. He pushed on the brakes before running me over. He did not kill me.  

I got up and I walked after each assault. I worked as a schoolteacher for 7 years.  I started working when I was 16 then I started to teach at 18. I got my master’s degree by a correspondence course at 24. I wanted to escape the place where I grew up. I did.  

  When I turned 26 I moved to the USA. I married an American guy. I lived as a slave for 20 years. I lived in Domestic Violence, but it was better than anything that happened to me before my marriage. This time I was slowly dying from a “thousand papercuts”. I was not my own. I desired to be a human being. I got divorced. 

 God has been saving me. He still does. For the rest of my life, I plan to work on healing.  

Author: Visible Light