BETWEEN HEALTH AND WEALTH AVENUES will be moving soon from http://akorteshares.blogspot.com to betweenhealthandwealthavenues.com
Stay tuned for more on this exciting new online location! We are coming back to life my friends! I have not forgotten you. I'm excited to get the new site up and running this fall. Please be patient and send out some good vibes to this endeavor and those involved in helping create a special place for our special community!
REPOST
Hello everyone! First of all please watch the video above and read the lyrics before you read the post if possible. It was the inspiration for this piece today so thank you Eminem! I just got off the phone with my friend Raven of Occupy Lyme Nation (https://www.facebook.com/groups/567158023361729/) and it's apparent we both are Lyme Warriors like many of you out there. But as we know those who see battle come back bruised, broken, burned and scarred on the inside and out. Our scars aren't visible - our disease isn't even visible for the most part. That's a double whammy. The hardest thing I find with Lyme is healing emotionally and rebuilding your mental strength, your resolve and passion for living. Many of us talk about the difficulties we have with friends and family who we feel are unsupportive, or not supportive in ways that help us. They don't know what we experience and we don't know what they think and feel, nor what a hardship it is to watch a loved one go through this day after day, year after year.
But those wounds run deep on both sides. Feelings are hurt. We are disappointed in each other, in ourselves, in our Doctors, and health care system, in the media, in the public, in the world sometimes. But we shake it off, stand up and do our best to appear fine. WE ARE NOT FINE.
Emotionally we are not fine. Even if we were all cured tomorrow these scars will be with us forever. But scars fade, wounds heal. The question is how do you heal something that is continuing to harm you and cause you pain?
Sadly I do not have a cure. I can help myself and others work on those emotional wounds. I am not a therapist - it's not my job to tell you if you should stay in a relationship or walk away; if your family treats you unfairly or justifiably; if you'd be better of elsewhere... nope that's not my role. But I can help you release some of that anger, rage, despair, pain, sadness and disappointment. If you're serious about letting go of some this baggage then take this seriously and do it now. Go grab some paper and a pencil - not colored paper, it's extra toxic to burn. Yes I said burn! I want you to prepare yourself mentally - think of all that negativity, the arguments, the accusations, the unkindness, the times you had your vulnerability used against you, the times you needed someone most and let you down, the times people didn't believe you were sick, the times you started to believe it was in your head, the times you wanted to die, the times you wallowed, the ways you sabotaged yourself mentally or physically with bad decisions, - the real deep dark shit. Go there - write it down. Nobody will see it but you. It doesn't matter is it's misspelled or full of swears or tear stained. It's yours - every burden you carry even if some of those burdens cause you shame and regret - get it out. Use that pencil - scribble furiously. You have 5 minutes. Set a timer. Write as much as possible. List every negative event, emotion, memory and aspect you have battled or continue to. Go for it! Fast & furious style.
Don't read it when you're done writing. You know what you said - you're not editing it and you're not changing it either. Fold it in threes. Put it away. Away away - not on the counter, or the fridge. In your purse, your desk, your wallet. Do not open it! As soon as it's dark burn it down.
Your friends and family think your nuts anyways so don't worry about them - tell them your therapist told you to do it if you must! Or just tell them to mind their beeswax! Use a fireplace, fire pit, or just go outside and light it. I prefer to use a match - there's about the sound of a match being lit, and the smell of it engages the senses - you know something is coming. And burn it.
Fire clears a forest for new growth. When you allow that fire to cleanse your life, those things that have grown old and stale in your life will be consumed. That's what we are doing. Light a match, and light that paper...Sometimes I say "I release you from the pain of the past" - giving myself permission to walk away from all that. Sometimes I say "Lord it's in your hands now- take these burdens from me and help me feel lighter with your love". Sometimes I just yell "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH" at the top of my lungs. For those of you who have seen Friend Green Tomatoes you may recall the scene where Evelyn smashes her car repeatedly into another after her parking spot is stolen. Towanda was Evelyn's alter ego - the badass; the woman who stood up for herself. (See below). So today I think I will yell TOWANDA!
Today I'm lighting my issues on fire and yelling Towanda!!! Feel free to join me. I'll probably do it at 5pm EST. TOWANDA! FEED YOUR CONCERNS TO THE FIRE!!! And walk away. As always I wish you a happy, healthy, and healing day my friends! Y'all come back now ya hear? Towanda!!! Peace, Audrey
Have a happy and healthy day my friends and thank you for reading! Keep on rockin' in the free world! Peace
