"Survivors"

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Comment by vantheman55 on January 29, 2009 at 9:46am

hello
keep on keeping on
Now is the time to remember why you have been chosen to survive
when so many others have not

Comment by Maria Hartman on November 20, 2008 at 9:47pm

It is very nice to meet you all, and it is good to be back at this site, I wish you all love and grace with everyhing that you do. Namaste. Maria

Comment by vantheman55 on October 29, 2008 at 5:55pm

I am
That is God ....many have forgotten!?
In the beginning was the word and and the word was with Them.....

So what do I really want to tell.......?
I will celebrate my 21 first year, This November.
Living with a disease that was to have took my life with in six month!
In 1987 i was 32 having the time of my life, Alcohol, drugs women, Family, wife and kids! I had it all kind of! Still wild out of control some will say!
October 1987 I had a stomach ache, went to see my Doctor I had contracted Hepatitis, yes I was wild a drug user, Functional!
I Detoxed that year I think that was my first!.......I was demoted from my Mangerial position......
Transferred to another store, closer to my birth home.
So when I found out I had { ARC} which is now HIV they told me I had maybe about six month to live! 1987!
In November 1988 I was in Las Vegas, I got Baptist in the swimming Pool
of the apartment complex I was stayingin, By John 3:16!?
I Now have AIDS by CDC standards,
So yes I am grateful for the blessings, my faith to substain me!
I don't know how else to put It.
it was not until the last couple of years, that I actually started adhereing to taking my meds!
Any way I am just overwhelmed, I am a Heterosexual Black American
Want to say every one GO GET TESTED......this not over!
There is a way to help you live longer!

Comment by Karin Hiebert on August 24, 2008 at 6:23pm

I am so deeply touched by all of the sharing of your stories, your traumas and triumphs!

I wasn't sure about starting this group, as I am a firm believer in staying in the present moment for very obvious reasons...

I believe though that our pasts have made us the strong, growing and caring people which we obviously are!

Are pasts do not define us. We have grown and continue to grow. Looking back occasionally shows us all how far we have come...

You might call it divine intervention, or us using the laws of the universe, consciously or subconsciously, you might call it the energy of thought...no matter(no pun intended) what it is that we call any of it, know this...

We have the power, and we DO "Create Our Own Present Reality."

We have created what and where we are today...and we will continue to create our tomorrow!

Pasts do not define who you are, pasts can help you be the person you CAN be, and WILL to be.

We live in a beautiful and abundant world...

I AM GRATEFUL FOR ALL, AND FOR ALL OF YOU, AND GLAD I STARTED THIS SHARING, OPEN GROUP...WE LEARN FROM EACH OTHER SO VERY MUCH...

sorry caps on...I do that sometimes and then am too lazy to retype lol..

Just being honest, I am not a tech. when it comes to computers, still a 2 finger typist..I am learning though! lol

All the best to All of you ALWAYS!

Thank you for joining this group and sharing some of your many stories!

Karin

Comment by Coach60 on August 24, 2008 at 4:12pm

When I was overseas survived a bomb blast ( I didn't know I had PTSD) only to go into a dark time in my life...I had married an abusive man who was in the military and drank and did drugs.... I ended up joining him....I was lost. Anxiety, fear, poor health followed me everywhere. About 15 years ago I almost died again from a disease...and was the victim of a stalker which went to trial (another story)......that is when the changes came..... after my near death experience.......currently I am seeing a reality of my dream of having a "normal" life with a man who loves me and all my issues. I have spent the last fifteen years helping others with drug and alcohol issues...battered women and teens on drugs and the homeless....... my experiences helped me to help them.
I am a science teacher and coached baseball, swimming, volleyball before my life took a downward spiral and I ended up an information research specialist...in other words I am a know it all! (lol) I am semi-retired, but i am still working, and I still get phone calls for help.

I became a better person by divine intervention and I am not ashamed to state that publicly! I am currently writing and creating works of art and it is my hope that all the rest of my days will be productive and fruitful creatively.

I repeatedly chanted the mantra...I want my life back...I want my life back....but the real changes came with my last near death and miracle of life given back to me. It changed me as a person. I didn't get my life back...I got one better.

I promised myself I wouldn't "blow it" and I haven't even though my life is a little like the Perils of Pauline, I have been able to stay focused. There is something greater out there and I know that.

Right now my daughter is having a rough time...and I have sorrow that she is going through a rocky time in her life...but I am the Coach and I have my feet planted on the ground...and I think she appreciates that, since her childhood was so horrible!

I have survived a lot of negative events....and I am glad I am here to share my story.

Coach

Comment by Maria Hartman on August 23, 2008 at 9:20pm

Well the first man I married liked to hit women, and I am not talking about aliitle bit. I had two beautiful children with him, but left him soon after. This man went after my family after I moved over 200 miles to be rid of him. My family then came to where I was living. My oldest got her bachelors in Denver and my youngest a son, is spending possibly his life behind bars after taking the life of a man just like his father, this man had threatened my sisters life, had bragged about killing others, so my son thought he did what he had to do. The last 5 years have been a broken heart, but I had quickly hit the books in the law field to go after him. My new husband has been an absolute blessing and I love him very much. I have many wonderful friends that have walked by my side throught all of it, but it does not make the pain go away. I have been told that I am an extremely strong woman and I feel it. I have had a presence with me since I can remember and it has hepled me get through the most darkest days of my life, this presence is love and the care I feel within it. I have been hiding my grief for sometime, not really knowing what to do with myself other than keep my head up high enough as to not sink. I dove into books for law and have been working on it ever since. I hope to help others in the sorrow place that I have been, to be able to see the light, just like I have found here with everyone that has the devine energy inside themselves here and that you share with me. What a pleasure to meet you all, it has made a big difference in my life. Namaste, Maria

Comment by Bryanjohnson on August 23, 2008 at 9:58am

My story probably is not that spectacular but it is mine. When I was younger it seemed like I was at one funeral after another. First my older brother then my dad and then my grandfather. This all took place from 8 until about 12. I lost 3 of the most important people in my life very quickly. I got into drugs drinking and thinking I could do what I want. I blamed my dad for a long time. But I always new in the back of my mind there had to be more. I had to first tell my dad is was ok. took me a long time to let go. I always new thoughts were very strong so I have been in and out of focusing on the positive for a long time now. I do believe it has made me stronger as now I ma very focused on my thoughts and seeing the good in everything and everyone. I now focus on living in the present not the past. It would be easy for me to give up on life but thats to easy I choose to live life to the best that I can now and let go of my ego and listen. I am now on a journey and only my higher power knows where I am going if I just listen and be aware it will be fun.

Namaste
Bryan

Comment by Karin Hiebert on August 19, 2008 at 3:03pm

Debbie, Thank you for sharing...you are so right, our pasts have made us into very strong, caring and loving people.

As in this network, one of the questions Tim asks is about our pasts defining who we are. or we may become...it depends on our thoughts.

Our thoughts, obviously yours and mine are, that our history does not define us, it does not make us bad, or that we carry on that cycle...we chose not to be that...we chose to think and feel different!

That is a choice we all have, no matter what our pasts, or present.

We create our reality, because of our thinking...

I am thinking...

we are pretty great people...in more ways than could ever be described and I certainly don't mean that in a conceited way...

I mean that in every sense of the word of forgiveness. Forgiving ours selves, and in some weird, maybe hard to understand twisted kind of way, I am thankful, to god, or our universe or by whatever form of energy a person uses...

I personally am thankful for having "given" "god for-giving" me
(or us) the entire experience...because without it...who would we really be???

I am proud to be me! how about you? ;)

Comment by Debbie Brogdon on August 18, 2008 at 1:54pm

Thank you, Karin, for starting this support group. As a child molested by a male relative from the age of 5-11, it was tough to overcome but it has made me a stronger and better person! I remember the events just like they were yesterday but it created who I am today!
Thanks,
Debbie :)