+xI have to say that I am so scared when I meet new people to even start talking about anything. It's natural for folks to want to know about your life. But I just freeze. Yes I went to prison.....but for what crime? So I isolate myself so much because a lot of the time the weight of guilt and shame is so heavy to carry. I can't handle questions and most probably stupid comment because our crime us under a shameful and strong label. How do you all cope?
Thanks
C
Hi Bravelassie,
First may I welcome you and your offer to supporting others via your other post. Please read my words as only challenging the approach you take towards yourself, your perceptions, your assumptions and nothing but supportive towards your new life.
You have already taken a big step to redefining your life by creating posts. Though you are sat behind the wire and electricity that gets us all thinking "I am in a safe place, no one can see me therefore no one can hurt me", it is in reality a dangerous environment. Not for the reason most "authorities" try to persuade us to believe, but in my opinion, because we are isolating ourselves from what has caused the most incredible development of us humans, our desire to belong to be part of society!
This desire has already surfaced within you when you created your first post. Yes theForum is a "society" or put another way, it is a group of individuals with the common purpose of improving the lives of others.
As with all societies, here you will find challenges but you will also find rewards. The manner you approach both of those will define your life within theForum because you will create an "identity". It could be by the way you write, discuss opinions or whatever with others. Individuals may or may not look for your posts according to the "identity/life" you create. It is the same within that other society that now seems to of cast us aside. It is your responsibility to yourself to redefine the perception and assumptions that others have created by only reading or hearing stories of you.
As with all stories, it takes an individual's belief in the words they join together to create the desired image, dream they wish to portray.
Know in your life you are the author of the words that will redefine you. Only you can rejuvenate the individual of your past joys and successes. That individual is the foreward of your story. Use that individual, develop its character in a manner that will follow the paths you did not choose. Think and plan the future "possible" chapters that will allow adventures - circumventing the restrictions circumstances impose - that will lead to the life you wish.
The reason for the manner of my writing is to emphasise your current story and its certain elements of its past only have to be read to certain individuals and not all. The majority of occasions you decide which pages are to be read and by whom.
My story I have redesigned, my past has variations depending on whose company I am in, my present has two variations: the authorities and everyone else. My future is not decided but I have various chapters that will either be included or dismissed.
I do not lie to another, if a direct question is asked i consider who is asking and respond accordingly. Think as a politician does i.e. answer the question you wanted to be asked not what you was asked.
Keep writing and supporting others as that will be valuable input for your story.
Society suggests I must let go of all my expectations but I disagree, as whilst I have a voice, I have hope.
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope is for tomorrow else what is left if you remove a mans hope.
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This forum supports these words, thank you Unlock and your contributors.