A few thoughts.I love to talk. Being vulnerable helps me heal. Sharing is caring after all, right?
|
|
Now he's gone. Physically. I am broken all over again. Into a million pieces. What's the next move?
Everything had to change. All of it. Starting with me. I was drowning and kept adding things to my plate to keep a float. Which I know now was completely wrong. Except my marriage and my business. I would never go back and change either of those decisions. Both of them saved my life. Still do. We were living in a hotel in the Boston area at the time and to say that time was hard, well, would be putting it lightly. So much took place the first year we lived in MA and honestly hasn't really slowed up a bit. Let me recap quickly... In the month of April 2014 alone...we got married, I started a new Nursing job (in a brand new city and part of the country, our second cross country move in a year), started building a home, moved into a hotel (which was a 4 month stay), lost my Dad, and started a new business. One month. Holy Hell. I get exhausted thinking about how crazy life was back then. You see I am the kind of person that jumps off the deep end and I see if I can swim...turns out I've got a lot of fight left in me. But, the point is this...I was searching for something. A change. I was grasping at every opportunity to feel whole again. I was in a dark place. Dad's death nearly pushed me over the edge. Y'all we started our marriage in a hotel on a random Friday morning...after I had worked an overnight shift with one of my hardest patients ever...and then after it was official he went to NY for a work trip and I went to sleep. No fancy dress, no cake, no fuss...just the two of us making a decision together. Committing our lives to each other in a quaint little 1700's courthouse. I still tell that story just to see the horrified looks on peoples faces. And, for the record not everyone is horrified, wink emoticon. Let me tell you that living in that hotel prepared us again for what was ahead. It helped shape us to do the hard things. And we had no idea what was coming. We are living proof that the shell of your life doesn't matter. It's not where you live or what you have. Or who your parent's are. It's the peace found in another's heart. The safety and strength to grow. It's when you have love and you give love...He works it all out. We learned to balance each others needs and take personal time as well. We didn't always get it right, but I will always say...the reason I know we will be together forever is because we are the type of humans that can live in a hotel for 4 months. We do what it takes to get to where we want to be. Together. Always together. No exceptions. Deep down I am still that little 5 year old girl who had no choice in all of this. I protect her everyday. She's the one who hangs tight to the good in this world, the kindness, the hope. She keeps the best memories of my Dad alive. Preserved. So you can imagine, losing my Dad brought out emotions that had been hiding away in a box that I wrapped and secured with gorilla glue and duct tape. To be completely transparent, I am still unpacking that box to this day. But I finally opened it. Flying home from TN after the funeral I decided many things. But...the first was that I would be sure to make him proud. I promised I would find a way out of my darkness. That I would forgive myself for abandoning him. That I would let go of all the anger and carry on his legacy with grace. You see the thing about a child is this...it takes two to create one. He's half of my heart, and I simply can't let his part of my heart live in the darkness anymore. We did that for far to long. I know now I couldn't save him, but I can sure shine my light so that anyone who meets me knows his light too. The good parts of him...of anyone are what really matter. Shining his light helps me put the past behind us. And, I know he's with me. Always. This life is short. It's hard at times. Not fair. But so beautiful if you are always looking for the rainbows. Trust me, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone...so look for the colors not the darkness. 2014 shaped my heart. It showed me that happiness isn't a destination. It's a state of mind. His death brought emotions, and also a lot of closure...the last few months of this year opened up to a brand new life...and I am not sure I was ready. xOxO, Hollie Calderon
0 Comments
Time. It's is something I always took for granted in my past. With my Dad specifically. Losing him made me realize that time, it is a precious commodity that you can never ever get back once it is gone. Use it wisely and very carefully.
So here I am, embarking on this brand new journey with the love of my life...but I had so much I still needed to resolve behind me. I struggled hard with that for the first months after meeting my husband, then he had a opportunity to move to the Windy City, and he asked me to come along. With reservation I said yes...but not because I didn't want to go...I backtracked a bit and really wrestled with the idea of moving with a man I wasn't "even married to". That idea was pushed on me by loved ones who meant well, but had no business in my decisions. Southern charm is a real thing, but so are southern traditions and at this point in my life...I had proved to be a rebel in the tradition department. That move actually gave me something I had dreamed of for years, but never had the courage to do. Moving from Nashville to Chicago began the journey to the person I am today who learned to be brave enough to share her heart. At the time of our first move...I truly didn't feel my story was worth telling. I was still running from it in fact. Trying my best to say and do all the right things. To make sure everyone only saw the parts of my life/past that I wanted them to see. Moving represented freedom from my past. But moving also meant that I would have to reflect ( I learned this hard lesson as I was driving across state lines). No one ever told me that moving from home would rock my world. It was scary and exhilarating all at the same time. Lots of tears. The move forced me to take responsibility for me. To decide. To choose me first. Those were things I had been avoiding for a very long time. So I said goodbye and moved, forward. Remember that summer several years back from this move when I said goodbye to my Dad for the last time in person...the one where we promised to stay in touch and didn't, well that is were these series of goodbyes began. You see had I not made the decision to separate myself from him...I would have missed all of this. Saying goodbye to him lead me to choose those who loved me without stipulations. To choose to surround myself with family and friends that didn't abandon me. Saying goodbye to him, lead me to meeting my husband. Our goodbye was a gift he gave me that I will forever be grateful for. It became the gift that kept on giving when his soul left us just a year after I moved. When I got the news about Dad, we had literally just returned from CO. We visited to share the news of our brand new marriage (a few days before at the justice of the peace, yes we eloped...for many reasons, which is not the point here wink emoticon) with his family...and to celebrate the life of my FIL who had passed away a year before. We had just completed our second move, this time we had landed in Boston. My Uncle called and asked if I was sitting down. I was and truly had no idea what he was about to tell me. I thought maybe they were having a baby...but no. Your Dad is gone. 4 words. I had planned and prepped for this conversation so many times. Not one of those thoughts helped at all. Want to know the first thought I had?? My uncle answered it before I could even ask. No, he didn't suffer. My second thought? Was it related to drugs or alcohol...I am sharing this fact because grace is my best friend. I struggled so much as a child of addiction. My thought made perfect sense, but it felt so bad. So hurtful. But before I asked that...my Uncle assured me it wasn't as he laid out the details. No one is perfect. I am allowed to be human and rest assured my very next thought was repeating he didn't suffer. He is no longer suffering. It was like a weight was lifted. I felt immediate relief that he was finally at peace and literally walking around in heaven. My 3rd thought...how am I going to tell my brother and sister? They already knew. Thank God. Then the intense grief came shortly after. I began to cry and I don't think I stopped for a month. I booked a flight immediately and went to say my final goodbye. For what now seems like a fleeting moment...I had the thought that I wasn't allowed to grieve. Why? because I hadn't talked to him in years. In fact a short few months before, he had called me. I didn't answer because I didn't know what to say...so when I got my wits about me, I did call him back but got his VM and didn't leave a message. I brushed it off and went about my business. Guilt. It's real and raw. I replay that moment over in my mind still to this day. What's done is done, but if you can learn from me...answer the phone. I promise you won't regret it. What changed my mind about allowing myself to grieve? Dad did. You see although we hadn't spoken in years, he followed me. He kept up with all the moves I had made and was still so very proud of me. I didn't know this until the moment I'm about to explain...but that's how he worked. As we went through his few assets...my Uncle found a Boston Red Sox jersey. And let me tell you my Dad wasn't a baseball fan. I lost it, full on ugly cry when he handed it to me. It reminded me that I was and will always be his daughter. And that I absolutely had every right to grieve. As unconventional as our relationship was, it was ours. And telling our story sets our love in stone. It looked messy and chaotic from the outside (because it was) but it was still love. Dad reminded me that you don't ever give up on loving someone. You may separate but love wins. All the love he'd ever had for me...was represented in a Red Sox jersey. Go figure. So we said goodbye, with Soulshine playing as the soundtrack of his life. It was one of the saddest days of my life. I find peace in knowing the next time I see him...we will never have to say goodbye again. And...that he isn't suffering anymore. He suffered for over 50 years. It was time for him to go rest easy on the mountain. His three kids were on the front row. Together. We held hands and that moment united us again as siblings...family that always sticks together. We are left to live his legacy...to show that there is redemption. That He creates beauty from ashes. And I had the honor of fulfilling my Dad's wishes by laying him to rest with his Mom. His ashes are leading to redemption. To those of you who knew him...and loved him in the times I wasn't present, I cherish you. I always loved him. Love him. But the gap you filled saved my life. Forever grateful. To anyone who is suffering the loss of a parent way to soon (or at all)...it's a club my husband nor I ever wish on anyone. It's unfair that we can't all live forever, but know that we feel your pain. We see you. We are you. You are never alone in your grief, that never goes away. We know your heart and we are always cheering you on. I am no longer addicted to goodbyes, I long for hellos. Continue to follow our journey...Dad still teaches me all kinds of things...many that are helping me change the world around me. He's now my guardian angel and I talk to him more than I ever did before. We are finally at peace. Love you more... Hogs Doesn't everyone have a defining moment in their life? Multiple ones...where you know nothing will be the same? Moments you never saw coming because you were looking in all the wrong places...?
Gut feeling, intuition, little voice...these all describe that message we get from deep within. The one that's leading us exactly where we are supposed to be. All of us. Yet, how often do we ignore it? Why?
Ever found yourself in a place you never meant to be? Me too. Many times. Now, have you ever considered that your own choices are (in part) what got you there? In that tough place that has you feeling like you are drowning without a life preserver. Time and time again. To be honest, it used to be easier for me to blame my life on my circumstances. Or lack thereof. To reason through how suffering is a part of life. So often in my life I've refused to take full responsibility for how I found myself in the situations I did. Until I changed that. About a year ago, I sat through an intense therapy session. One that brought me to crocodile tears. One that could have crushed my spirit. If I let it. I've been known to have a flare for the dramatic...but this was something I hadn't prepared for at all. She asked a very simple, logical question that brought me to my knees. Literally. Her question, "Have you ever thought about YOUR responsibility for the chaos in your life?" What??? Come again??? As I sat in silence and my eyes welled up with tears...my heart beating faster and faster...I thought, well, no lady I hadn't thought of that...ever. My thoughts were heavy and hot. Full of shame and blame. Painful. For a moment I felt like I couldn't breath. This question forced me to look within. After years of looking anywhere but there. Ugh. You mean somehow I had a choice in all of this? Like I asked for this?? Defensive. Immediately. As the tears streamed I responded...out loud, calmly...Are you suggesting that the way I feel is my fault? (My attempt at trying to level with her, as if that's what she intended, which wasn't true). Her honest response changed my life. Softly she said, "First, let's take the word "fault" out of this. This isn't about fault or punishment. What I'm saying is that you have choices in everything you do. You get to decide if you want this chaos that exists in your life to win. You choose the life you want. Have you ever considered that?" Choices?? Decisions?? I'm speechless. In 31 years I've truly lived and died by what others wanted, thought, or needed from me. I suppose I thought about my choices before, but every move I made wasn't based on what I wanted or needed. Each decision was a step forward in what pleased others. What helped me blend in. Seem normal. Can you relate? I left that session hurt. Bruised but not broken. I spent the next few days unpacking how I'd come back with a better answer next time. How? I had to sit down with my own thoughts and sift through each moment. At first it was excruciating, but as I saw my responsibility in my choices (good and bad)...I started to understand more and more of how I got to that very place I was sitting. Much of the responsibility I started with was actually in NOT dealing with my life. My past. Stuffing it down and putting on my happy face. The largest blessings this could have cost me was my dreams. My love. Who am I kidding...Everything. But I decided NO. I was determined. I am determined. My eyes are wide open and that was an incredibly difficult decision. For years I've know I am "different". Highly Emphatic. Deep inside I know God is preparing a way for me that I can't comprehend. In many ways it scares me. That's obviously my human brain that causes that. Almost like I'm afraid I can't live up to what He's got in store. Like I'm not enough. So, acting like I "didn't have a choice in life" served those fearful thoughts well. He is always guiding me to my greatness...but...each time I heard that "little voice", I stopped it. Stifled it with noise. Fear. Whatever. Until I didn't. As I took more and more responsibility...I realized that I always made choices, just the wrong ones. The safe ones. I didn't like to rock the boat. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to hurt anyone, but I no longer worry about making a few waves. I no longer quiet that gut feeling. Wanna know why? Because God is never wrong. He's in the business of redemption. He's got our backs. Free will is an interesting blessing...we can use it to step into our greatness, or to sink our dreams and potential. The next time she asked me that question, my answer was swift and full of passion. "Yes. Yes I have considered that I shape my life through my choices. They are important to my happiness and because happiness isn't a destination I consider each choice carefully. I'm certain I may not always get it right, but I'll learn and grow through that. Deciding to connect with myself in the most authentic form aided me in building my dreams, which are really big." It's very interesting how one question can change everything. Shift your course? Change your path? Or...did that moment lead you back to your path after somehow you forgot to take responsibility and got lost? You decide. As we embark on the next big adventure in our lives, I'm certain this lesson will serve me and my soul very well. My hope is that you ask yourself the same question she asked me. Be honest and if needed, adjust. Forgive yourself and begin again with grace. We can reach for the moon together friends. However it starts with what we really want. So...stop fighting your little voice. Here's to being brave enough to dream big and take action. xOxO, Hol How many times must I rebuild?? I've asked myself this question so many times over the last 5 years. Partly because I've finally recognized the difference between rebuilding and building walls...and then another part of me knows I'll never stop.
In my life each time I was abandoned...each time I felt useless and unwanted...I added bricks. A few at a time. But these bricks had no solid foundation and on many occasions my walls were destroyed fast and without understanding. I'd let someone in who appeared to be interested in a partnership, but in reality...they were only emotional vampires who came to take whatever I'd give. Which in most cases was everything I had. You'd think after doing this repeatedly with the same ending (different characters)...I would stop. But to keep with the honest theme here, I can't. I believe I was born with a gift. To save others, heal them emotionally. When their burdens are too heavy to bear, I carry them with them...which mostly turns into for them. What a heavy burden to bear huh?? Yes. Yes it is. Over the years I'm learning to develop this gift. The older I get, the more I am certain my Dad had the same gift...but we will discuss that later. At 28, I had begun rebuilding again. This time I was determined not to go backwards (although my mind would try diligently to do so often). I'm an overthinker. Anyone else? I put careful and mostly way to much thought into everything I do. It's debilitating at times and I often believe I get this from my Dad too. The root? Fear of failure. Being seen as weak. Being misunderstood. All things that bring rejection and more fear. I didn't know it at the time, but at this age is when I started the process to stop the madness...when I started to believe there could be a better way. So, for the time being I found comfort in the small things...like living alone. Learning to take care of myself without assistance from anyone. I thought I had mastered that a few times before, but that wasn't really true. Now...approaching my 30s I was finally figuring it out. Sort of. In the back of my mind, I always believed Dad and I would get a second try. Maybe when I got married or had children...we'd fit back perfectly into each other's lives. But God had other plans. You see in the front of my mind was a wall I'd built. A wall, that to me, meant he couldn't go where I was going. Why? Because I simply wasn't strong enough to handle it. Him. It was a defense mechanism that I stood firm on...then. I sincerely believed I could find myself in this world without him. I'll tell you now...I was so very wrong. And we will leave it at that. After finding myself physically well...I became very careful about where I spent my time. So I thought. Turns out, I had a few people near and dear to me that were hurting internally just as much as I was. Hurting and stuffing their emotions down into that dark place we hope we never find again. We were all trying to "find ourselves"...and we began trying together. Then, in the midst of this rebuild, something huge happened. I met my husband. But I need you to understand that before he and I met...I had already decided I wasn't ever getting married again. I was genuinely making plans to join the Peace Corp. However, he changed the game. He helped me save my own life. A true gift from God. My Dad never met him. In fact, Dad left this world a mere week after we got married, what I had hoped would be a vibrant celebration...new beginning for us all...turned into just that, but not how I had dreamed it would. Even though I hadn't spoken to my Dad in a few years, never meant he wasn't in my heart or mind. I wish I had told him that. Somehow as I type this, I feel like now he knows. Everything moved so quickly with my future husband. But I felt safe. Doesn't mean I didn't fight it. Why? Because at this time, deep down, I still felt like I didn't deserve to be happy. As I had just come out of the biggest health scare of my life, I truly believed that was my second chance. My "win" if you will. But then...then walked in my angel. My darling husband. Oh my...he sure had no idea the baggage I had to unpack...the preverbial suitcases I had been dragging around for almost 29 years. What a treat he was in for. That we both were in for. If I'd had my defensive minded way, I would have used my daddy issues to single handily destroy any chance of a future with this man. But God said NO. This man was my real deal. The one who would consistently love me more and more each day. Love me like Jesus does. I mean...what are the chances that I met a man from CO, who graduated college in the same town that held all my favorite memories with my Dad?? All the coincidences that occurred to bring us together...were not coincidence at all. They were perfectly orchestrated by Him. Every detail carefully thought out and planned. The reasoning was beyond my human understanding. Still is, but I no longer believe I don't deserve happiness. On that hot June day 5 years ago...God showed us the beginning of our greatest journey, that could only be lived together. -xOxO Hollie 26 and 27. Mid to late twenties. These were supposed to be some of the best years of my life right? Not so much. Yeah I know...I was hoping to catch a break a some point too. However, these years gave me my independence back. Actually it's when I had the chance to take it back. These years changed me, tested me, and caused me to choose once and for all...who was I going to be? Many days and nights during this time were filled with tears. I was very lonely despite being surrounded by friends and family. Every move I made was truly living out of fear. Of what?? Everything. I stepped into the people pleasing role without blinking an eye. Striving for perfection always. At work, with friends, and family...you name it. At the time I hadn't yet discovered that everything in my past caused this development, but I would down the road.
I moved to a small apartment in Nashville with my dogs and we began a life. I lived paycheck to paycheck and I numbed my pain with everyone else's woes. I became the "yes" girl. An extension of the "I'll do anything to make you happy" girl I'd already become. I sought out ways to help anyone and everyone I could, as long as it meant I didn't have to dive into my feels. On the outside it looked as if I was kind and nurturing person with a zest for helping others (which I genuinely am) but avoidance is what I would call it in those years. I became the life of the party as well. Most thought I was "living it up" from how I seemed so carefree on the outside, but I was dying inside. I should note that there were a couple of angels that walked these dark days with me...you know who you are...and I will leave it at that. I am a firm believer God gives us free will so that we learn. Our choices of running from our greatness often break His heart, but it's a must. These years taught me several things, but the 2 most important are as follows: 1. I can't save the world alone and I am not sure why I think it's my job. 2. Addiction is real, and it doesn't look they way most people imagine. Sometimes it's not the substance we are addicted to...it's outrunning the feelings we can't manage. I was a few years away from figuring much else out, but I know I became addicted to seeking validation is all the wrong places by living out of fear. Oh and P.S. it never worked. My circle narrowed and I spent much of this time in a fog. I am not proud of many of my actions during this time. In fact sharing how hard these years are is really difficult for me. I met some amazing people and did a few cool things, don't get me wrong, but internally I was a basket case. Broken and putting on such a show. And it somehow would creep out when I had one to many adult beverages. I am sure you can relate...and if not...kudos to you. Like I said, many tears. Not proud. Then it happened...something so devastating that it shifted my entire life. It's hard for me to talk about this part so I will be brief. I had the scare, to date then, of my life. It brings on an ugly cry as I type, but this chapter is important for my future so I feel lead to share a bit of it. In my fear I pushed everyone away, including family. I simply couldn't share my weakness with others so I went into a dark hole and wasn't sure I would come out at times. I took the medications, did the procedures, showed up to my appointments, etc...and then I waited. I was certain I was being punished for many things, but the biggest one, was my divorce. I genuinely believed I deserved to suffer and that this was how my life would end. It's amazing what living out of fear looks like inside others minds huh??? I know my fear was ugly and out of control. After many months of lying in wait continuing treatment...the news I finally received was a true miracle from God. Your tests are clear. No traces of Cancer. I remember sitting in that office and thinking these exact words...this is my second chance, thank you Jesus, I swear I won't waste it. I promise. This wasn't how my story would end and I knew if I wanted things to change, it started with my me. I prayed a prayer of gratitude and when I walked out into the sunshine that afternoon, nothing would ever be the same. In the next chapters my story will start to look completely different. The good starts to out weigh the bad. On the exterior at least, and as you can tell this story is shifting. Into what I'm not exactly sure yet, but I promise I will leave it all on the table because I still strongly believe sharing this story that eventually leads to redemption is part of my journey. Why? Still not sure about that, but like I said before, when He calls you to do something...you listen. I need to make a point to close this chapter. You see my Dad had a hand in my creation. In raising me. He didn't always get it right, but without him I wouldn't be able to share this story. Share my heart. Share me with the world. He's a huge part of the reason I am here. So, as far as I am concerned, if all he got right is myself, my sister and brother...well if you know us, you know that's something he left this world very proud of indeed. I must also note that the third and probably most important lesson I learned during these years is grace. And...I started to replace fear with Grace. Grace for me. Grace for all. -xOxO Hollie *Father's Day will never be the same again. It's a hard day for many reasons, but to honor my Dad's life this Father's Day, I send hugs and Eskimo kisses to heaven. Rest easy. Divorced. Damaged Goods. Where do I go from here?
During the process of the divorce...if you can believe it, I managed to graduate from Nursing school. I was president of my class. It's a day and an accomplishment that would define the next ten years of my life. You see, not only did the idea of my future kids rescue me... my Nursing career too saved my life. I knew that with this career I could support myself and make an impact on the world, which deep down is what I dreamed of doing. I have to admit that I left the life I had known behind. All of it. But I didn't want to waste the hurt. I believed in using my pain to lift others in their time of need. So, it was a seemingly perfect fit. We will chat more about that later. My mission became giving of my whole self. I gave and gave...to a fault most of the time. And although I thought many times of moving on to another career, my loyalty kept me serving my community as a Nurse. I was good at it, technically with my skills, but mostly with my compassion. Strangely, after all my tragedy, I found a way to love others more than I loved myself. In these next few years I entered and exited another abusive relationship. This one was verbally abusive. I'd like to tell you different, but it wasn't glaringly clear at first what I had stepped into. Understand that when you've been abused in any capacity it's almost like sub consciously you attract these types of personalities. I felt like it was normal for me. These years were almost worse than my short lived marriage. Why? Well, in addition to feeling so small, it was because I was determined not to fail. Have you ever lived in complete and utter fear?? If so, you aren't alone. I see you. It's not something I would wish on anyone. I had already failed once and that wasn't happening again. Not ever. However, we were always a wrong fit. We had different goals and dreams...and I stayed 2 years too long because of that fear. I take full responsibility for that. He decided to move on with another woman, without telling me right away before we were separated. At the time, I was in complete shock. Devastated. Rejection by choice of another...Remember that failure?? Yeah, it was front and center and really there was nothing I could do to stop it. And I am ashamed that I even wanted to. But that's how little worth I saw in me. Note that over the few years I was with him I truly lost myself, again...I gained 40 lbs, became a functioning alcoholic, buried all emotions until I exploded into episodes of behaving as an uncontrollable mess, lost good friends, made terrible decisions, lost my self worth, and all for the sake of chasing a love that wasn't mine to begin with. The wrong love. But really I was running from the failure more than anything else. Nursing was my only escape. It is what kept me from completely drowning. At work I could push my problems aside and tend to everyone else. I began to excel at it. This began the unhealthy relationship with my career that wouldn't come to a head for several more years. Often what things appear to be on the outside are merely a shield...a cover. Nursing was my cover. Shortly before the breakup, I had a visit with my Dad. It had been almost 3 years since I had seen or spoken to him. It was a surprise, one that if I had known about before hand, the visit wouldn't have happened. I was still running from the past with a vengeance and didn't have time to stop and look into a mirror. However, I am forever grateful that my Uncle dragged me there. That night Dad and I had the best conversation. One that I carry with me in my heart. It was hours long full of many special moments. There were tears, laughter, and apologies...oh and so many hugs and eskimo kisses. Now that he is gone, with crocodile tears in my eyes, it's these moments I reflect on...not the bad. That night, he was the Dad I remembered from Colorado and I was his everything. I began to feel Jesus and redemption moving in me. Restoration was coming, but it looked completely different than what I had planned. In fact in that moment I had no idea the reckoning that was coming. Then, I hit rock bottom. The one relationship I thought I had protected against failure, was broken into a million pieces. I was alone. His life had become mine and when "we" ended I lost everything. Well, what felt like everything at the time. But the beauty isn't in what I lost through this breakup, it's what I found, but that didn't come right away. A few things did. That extra 40 pounds came off in a couple of months. I'd love to say I did that in a healthy way, but that's just not true. I barely ate. Slept very little. I continued drinking because I needed to drown my thoughts...to be honest I had no idea why I was alive. My once vibrant and huge heart was limp and cautious. I kept showing up to work but I was a zombie. I was broken. Again. I thank God that resiliency is my strong suit. In my life I have found that I may not be a lot of things...but I am resilient. He had a bigger plan for me, once more this wasn't were my story would end. It took several months and countless God moments, but I began to rise. I could feel my heart beating again. Unfortunately, neither Dad nor I kept our promise to stay in touch. I believe that sometimes things are so bad for so long, that when you find or create moments you can cling to...you don't dare disrupt that. Part of me knows that we both still suffered from deep wounds and thought of each other often, even if we barely spoke. As I started to come alive again, the hits kept coming, but I was determined to find myself again and nothing was going to stop me. God started moving mountains, and please know that when we stop and let Him work, we really learn to believe in miracles again. 25 turned to 26 then 27. Those two years changed the course of everything... xOxO Hollie I built my walls...brick by brick.
My high school graduation day came and went. We celebrated and I began making plans to move. I begin the hardest chapter of my life to date, in shambles. I was lost before I even got started. No one had a clue. But, there's one thing I was born with...will. My God given will eventually saved me, but these years are when the real work to becoming His legs began. I entered my 20s much differently than many of the friends I knew. Scared. I was working several jobs, attending school full time, on my dime, barely making ends meet. I was determined to steer my own course...at times I was drowning but others I did just fine. Most of these years were a guessing game when it came to Dad. When would he call? Show up? Be gone for months on end? After so much uncertainty I started to push back. No one supported me, the concept of loyalty swirled around my thoughts, I wouldn't let them in. Especially not him. In fact at 20, I confronted the demons...the nightmare I was silently living. In that heated argument my Dad said...5 words. Words that crushed me and catapulted me into an abusive marriage I didn't belong in. I worked so hard to seem ok on the outside, that I completely lost sight of what I really wanted. My dreams. My passion. You are not my daughter. It was a sober moment, in the middle of the day no doubt. So he meant it, and even if he didn't...he broke me. Completely. The one man who was suppose to love me unconditionally had disowned me in one fail swoop. For what? I wish I could say his words came from a place of reason...that I did something to deserve it, but that's not true. It took me years to understand. Comprehend. Broken. Simply broken into a million pieces. I began to live out of fear. Rejection became my second home. So, I did the next best thing...I threw myself into a relationship of manipulation, alcoholism, mental and physical abuse. Then, completely aware of what I was getting myself into I got married. In the South at 20 people stop asking you questions once you "get married" and "start a family". Marriage meant, I could stop running from my past and begin again. Even if it was for all the wrong reasons, with the way wrong human. So...before God and all my family. Well most of them. I did it. Many ask why, after they ask how long it was going on...(2 years before we were married it started) and I'm happy to share that it's not because I thought I could save him...I knew I wasn't capable of that. See how well I saved my Dad?? I did it because I believed I was strong enough to handle it. After all...it's what I knew. What I'd seen for years, so why not?? My Dad showed up that day. Drunk and crying in the back of the church. It crushed him that I didn't include him. I could see it in his eyes. We would never really recover from that moment. I knew everything I was taking on was wrong...but I couldn't breath. I needed an escape from all the questions and judgement. I despised feeling misunderstood, yet I was still a child. Yearning to be loved by her daddy. A child that needed someone to fight for her. No one showed up to the fight. Except me. The marriage didn't last long. In fact it ended abruptly on our wedding night. Well, for me anyway, I had warned and he tested me anyway. Previously in marriage counseling I told him...like looked the pastor and him in the eyes and said...if he ever touches me again I'll leave. Period. It may take me 8 months or 8 years...but I'll for sure be gone. It took him even less time to strike again. That wedding night was a night that changed my future...Screams, tears, security, near death experience...I begin immediately planning my out. My escape. One thing Dad taught me...never enter anything without an escape route. So, I had mine well prepared. How you ask? Becoming a Nurse. It was my only way. I entered that Nursing program married and graduated divorced as president of my class. I knew if I could complete Nursing school I'd survive. I also knew that there was no way I could bring children into the world with that man. Nursing was the route, the dream of my unborn, someday children...my strength. The children piece is something I must elaborate on. You see the mere thought of putting any child through what I'd been through was why I left him. I knew children would be the next obvious expectation...and my dreams of being a mother didn't look like this. I'd love to share that I bravely walked away, but that's not true. I was terrified. I didn't make some calculated decision to move forward, the dreams I had of those kids saved me. How could I love humans so much that I hadn't even met? Over the years you'll see just how many times "they" saved me. So, it's an understatement to say that I know God is creating the most beautiful gifts up there. And there's a very specific reason he hasn't given them to us yet. Being a mother was something attached to my heart and soul years ago...I may not always love the path to motherhood, but it's mine, I believe you'll understand more as time goes on. And so will I. So...survive is exactly what I did. I survived it all. It was a horrible divorce. So much nastiness I won't even bother with the details. Took almost 2 years to process...mainly because of enabling in laws, but it became finalized and I could breathe again. Sort of. I was free but lost. No friends. A still divided family. I found myself at the bottom of the "do what everyone thinks you should do" hole again. I had no clear direction. So I took it from those around me. Acceptance is the very opposite of Rejection and I dove in head first. Dad and I didn't speak for several years... I was a mess. But out of all that mess my heart still loved him, missed him. It was still beating. As much as my spirit was broken...I knew I'd rise up but... conquering those demons wouldn't happen for years to come. I'm now 22, almost 23. Yes only 22 years old. After all I'd gone through, now armed with the spirit of a fighter...I began to slowly rise, and as I did, my walls came with me. I left 2 men in my past that year. One resurfaced a few years later. It was Dad, and honestly, he was always with me in my heart and spirit. Remember...He knows what He is doing. Always.... Cheers to all you brave souls, we are not born that way...we earn it. Hollie xOxO Hardships can make or break anyone. In our case there seemed to be non stop hardships, both making and breaking. Over the next few years I adjusted. To a new home, school, friends, and life. These years were tough, but I credit a lot of who I am today because of them. I really found God and Dad continued to come and go. I started realizing that it was his choices that kept us apart and not mine. Growing up is hard. I lived these years in a state of confusion.
He was broken. And I don't mean physically. Physically he had more strength than most people I knew with working legs. He was capable of lifting his entire body in and out of the tub. He propelled his own chair and really didn't like anyone pushing him around. I liked when he would sit on the couch because I could play. His chair represented fun to me. It did not for him. That's one thing I need you to hear. If this story speaks anything to you, listen to this part. His chair changed nothing for me as a daughter. His child. I didn't love him less. I didn't care that he was "different". He never understood that. He couldn't see it from my eyes. I often wonder if he had, were we would be today. Watching him overcome the obstacles made me proud. I would stand tall beside him but it wasn't enough. His mind told him the opposite. That the world was against him. That he was being punished. Learning to live without him was hard. Mainly because he was still alive. It was a choice he made for me. I went back and forth with thoughts of anger and despair. Grieving someone who is still alive is something I don't wish for you. Let me be clear, now that he's gone, I still grieve. It didn't take the edge off going through it before. I didn't want it either time and life is unfair that way. So I learned to cope. Poorly. I put my head down and tried to find things to keep me distracted. Mostly good things, a few not good. At 14 I made a horrible decision. A decision that landed me in juvenile hall for 96 hours and broke my Mother's and Step Father's hearts more than I will ever know. Yep you read that right...me in jail and to boot, missing my first day in high school. He was back for the moment and I was hanging on every word. Long story short, I ran away from home. It was a brilliant plan, in my mind. I'd run away, then Dad and I would be partners in crime again. Only we became partners in crime literally. I set into motion a plan that caused my brother to do the same thing. It took years to forgive myself for that. I was gone for a few days and the plan Dad and I had made ended very similarly to that day he left me at my Granny's house. Only this time I rode in the back of a cop car and slept in solitary confinement because my cellmate wanted to cut my face off, seriously. I really thought leaving was the right thing to do. It was less about leaving where I was and more about getting back to him. Caring for him and restarting my journey to save him. This time I was released to my parents and he was gone again. What a mess huh? I learned above all that I never wanted to see the inside of a cell again. I became terrified to break rules. This served me well in years to come, but this wasn't the way I wanted to learn. My point here is to share that his bad choices led to my bad choices. He was the adult yet I suffered the consequences. Always. It felt awful. When I was younger I didn't fully grasp consequences. Now it was painfully obvious that my actions hurt those around me, but I didn't let go. I was determined to seek him out. Somehow being left by him again motivated me to try harder. I often wondered how he felt. If he missed me. The next few years came straight out of "daddy issues" 101. He did miss me. Missed his life. Loved us. The way he showed it was ass backwards but true. I believe in these times of complete devastation he felt all the same hard things I did. I started to distrust most of what happened around me. I felt alone and so out of place. Unwanted. I don't believe that's what he intended, but it's what happened. So, I stumbled into the most formidable years of my life as a hot mess. I didn't see him again until I graduated high school. These few years hold some of my favorite memories...and if you can imagine some of my worst too... XoXo Hollie He had different plans...
I am now 12...almost finished with 6th grade and in a twisted way, life seems to be falling into place. Never in any real world would the life we lived be viewed as normal, but it was ours. I made a few friends...even one with a Dad in a wheelchair like me. We were making it work. His sadness wasn't gone, but better for the moment. Then it happened. Nothing about life is simple at 12 and our story was certainly complicated. I grabbed a few things to go visit my grandparents. They lived right down the street. He had some "things" to take care of and he'd come pick me up later. He never returned. He was out of money and the truth was he couldn't afford to keep me and his "habits". The next details will shock you, but it's important I share them. He owed a man named Jeff in Ohio a lot of money (those are the only details I knew). That man would call at all hours of the day and night threatening me. He'd tell me he'd take me away if my Dad didn't pay. I was terrified to sleep. 12 years old. Terrified to live. Yet my devotion to my Dad was unshakable. I wasn't going anywhere. Dad would try to reassure me that all was ok, but even I could tell he wasn't certain that was true. After school one day the worst happened. I was walking home...when a green car pulled up slowly behind me, the door flew open and a man grabbed me. Until that day I had no idea what I was capable of physically. My mind knew this was a moment I had nightmares about. It was him. He followed through on his threat. His grasp was so strong on my arm. I screamed and kicked and punched. Crying out for help. I can still hear my voice shrieking. Kidnapped. No. Absolutely not. I squealed and fought with all I had...then by the grace of God he dropped me and spead off. This wasn't how my story was going to go. I ran all the way home. Mortified. I called my Dad at work and explained the details. I didn't call the cops or my mother. I just hid in my closet until my Dad got home. We didn't discuss it. He apologized and we ordered pizza. Seems normal right? Now you can see why he never returned to get me from Granny's that day but I just knew it was my fault. That he'd left me because I made him angry or that I wasn't a good enough daughter. That wasn't it though. He knew it wasn't safe for me to stay. He couldn't make it work. He chose. The drinking and drugs and strange characters all hours of the night...it was no place for any 12 year old. A child. Especially one that was now being used for randsom. He did this to protect me. I say these words now with certainty but then his actions crushed my soul. My spirit. I didn't see this coming and I wasn't sure how I'd survive. I often wondered what would have happened if that man had taken me...in my heart I know God has a bigger purpose for me so I try to leave that experience where it belongs. In my past. My grandparents countlessly saved my life over the years. So did my mother and step father. At the time I couldn't see that, but it's absolute truth. So, Mom came to pick me up and again I'm left with zero closure. No goodbye or explanation. He did things this way, I believe, to protect us both, but I felt exposed and torn apart. Abandoned. So I returned to my mothers defeated. Welcomed with open arms but it's not at all what I wanted. Who would protect him? Care for him? Order his supplies? Grocery shop and get the rent check to the office? To boot I found that my step father had taken a job over an hour away and we were moving. The world I had known was crashing down and I couldn't stop it. This all taught me resilience. It also began a terrible habit of striving for perfection. I'm always actively trying to put that habit down. I didn't hear from him for what seemed like years. We had relocated and I was trying to start over. I didn't want to make that move, but you have to know...that move changed my future. It's the reason I'm writing this now. My step father provided us with love through consistency, stability, discipline, and most importantly God. My Dad knew this was truth, but his jealousy was the driving force of sabotage. Over the next few years Dad would pop in and out. He'd leave a wake of destruction every time. My brother and I were confused and often hurt. Left in tears because of empty promises. It was a constant battle. A wound left wide open. One I'm still tending at 32. During these years Dad was homeless. I don't know what he really did for money or food and I worried everyday about him. Every. Single. Day. He was lost. Spent many months in jail. We stayed in touch but each encounter during these years brought pain and chaos. However, my love never changed. He hung the moon. Period. Fast forward a couple of years, the chaos exploded and I had to start making decisions... XoXo Hollie |
Archives
February 2022
Categories |