It has been so long since I put pen to paper, for people to read. I have almost forgotten the feeling of excitement and a bit of anxiety, sharing my journey and my vulnerability with so many people. My writing came from a place of pain. MY therapy. Unleashing all the thoughts and all the things that hurt onto a blank screen.
This was my way of healing, of hoping others could heal with me.
I saw life as a maze. A series of cross roads that led to so many different destinations. But one wrong step could lead to a path of darkness. The right steps led to more cross roads though. Eventually, it simply became too exhausting.
Divorce and being a single mother taught me many, many lessons. How brutal our community can be. How judgemental. How atrocious the behaviour of people becomes when they think you are alone and vulnerable.
Running an organisation taught me that the ego often trumps the heart and very few people have pure and noble intentions.
Slowly, I shed that cloak of optimism and threw away my rose coloured glasses. I stopped having faith in good people and became a lioness. Protecting myself and my children from the prying eyes of others.
In solitude, I found my strength. I found all the missing pieces of my soul that were stripped away from me somewhere, two decades ago when the only choice I had was survival.
In solitude, I also remembered. When I clawed my way out of the pits of despair I made a promise that our stories would not be in vain. Like many, many other women…. I rose from the ashes and found peace. Happiness. Love. Success.
Warrior Woman support network started as a beacon of light many years ago. It felt like the next step when we merged and evolved into Lighthouse. But somewhere along the way, the values no longer aligned with the mission we started and the decision was made.
Without strong women, successful women, SUPPORTED women, our community will not and cannot thrive.
So we decided to revive her from those ashes.
By the will of God, to become a beacon of hope for women who need us. For women who are isolated. Women experiencing abuse. Women who are incarcerated but most importantly, young women in school. We are here to support, educate and BELIEVE that there is life after despair.
Many years ago while I drowned in a storm, loving hands and hearts that believed led myself and three beautiful children to safety…..
And Warrior Women was born.
More to come soon.