The Love That Healed Me || A month after the first @ReclaimYourVoice event in 2012, I had a craving

The Love That Healed Me || A month after the first @ReclaimYourVoice event in 2012, I had a craving for spoken word poetry. My only experience of it had been at a show several years prior so I found it strange that I had this random desire to hear some. And then, just a few short days later, I met a poet named Paul.⁣⁣Our connection was ethereal. I locked eyes with him the moment we met and for years did not break eye contact. But I didn’t realize that I still had many unhealed wounds and a lot I needed to work through. Despite his calm and peaceful ways, I still found myself terrified to trust and often reacted with emotional outbursts. In my previous relationship, I had blamed David for all the negative feelings I was experiencing. But when the same thoughts and behaviours started to resurface in me even with this loving, gentle soul I was almost destroyed by the realization of how toxic I was and how much I had been affected by what LO had done to me. ⁣⁣Dismayed and ashamed, I tried to break up with Paul. I told him I didn’t want him to have to clean up another man’s mess. His response? “Sweep, sweep.” And he didn’t leave my side. He held me through some of my worst storms, the rock that calmed my tumultuous waters. Paul loved me so deeply and completely that for the first time ever, I learned how to love myself. My mind was so at peace in his arms that I began to heal automatically.⁣⁣Paul was the only person to love and accept me unconditionally, and my first experience of being in love. I owe so much of who I am today to Paul’s gentle love. He was the personification of all that is the opposite of abuse.⁣⁣I hear so many people say that abuse changed them irrevocably and I can both understand and relate. But just remember that there are also people who come along and change us irrevocably in all of the best ways as well.⁣⁣I know I say this every time I see you, usually with tears in my eyes, but since we haven’t seen each other in a while, thank you for everything, Paul ✨ -- source link

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