Brother Jon’s Page over at Stories That Must Not Die gave me the honor of running my post on domestic abuse today. With the New Year approaching, I truly hope these thoughts can inspire someone to end or leave the cycle of abuse in 2015. Tragedy is the flipside of comedy; they are entwined — and this post is my personal flipside… My best wishes to all of you in the New Year
Anyone who reads my weekly newspaper column or blog posts knows I try to keep life in perspective through humor. In fact, I’d say it’s one of the reasons my children are still alive today. While I joke about that, for many years humor was also part of a coping mechanism from a childhood witnessing both verbal and physical abuse by the men in my family — specifically, my father and older brothers.
The good news is that each of them eventually turned themselves, their lives and the lives of the people they loved, around. It wasn’t until I became a father that I realized the impact that a childhood witnessing abuse had on me, and how some of those wounds — as both a witness and recipient — had never truly healed.
I know this because I occasionally saw reflections of my father and brothers in myself as I…
View original post 586 more words
Ned's Blog 
I’m so glad this post was re-blogged, because I think the more people that read it the better the world may be!
Thank you for all you’ve done as a passionate and articulate voice against domestic violence. We need more guys like you, speaking out.
Thank you so much, and to Brother Jon for “Not Letting This Story Die.”
On a side note, you’re not just a Soul Survivor but a lovely and true inspiration. Wishing you much happiness now and in the new year 😉
Thank you for your kind words Ned. That means a lot to me. Here’s to a happy New Year for all! 🙂
Ned, this post was amazing the first time I read it and even more so the second time around. Thank you for writing it. It most certainly should not be allowed to die.
Thanks so much, Sandy 😉 It was your and the other Sisterwives’ courageous posts that inspired it. Thank you for that.
Ned, this is a perfect reminder for both men and women. The impact of abuse also affects women… they cower or some carry it forward themselves. I have seen both sides of the equation. I congratulate you for NOT carrying abuse forward; and sadly it is ingrained in us.
Thanks, Gwynn. And you’re right; the momentum of abuse is carried by everyone affected by it, whether they realize it or not. Understanding that is the first step to breaking that momentum.
Loved this the first time I read it and it resonated even more the second time around. Blessings to you for your courage and resilience.
This is the type of recycling I can really get behind.
Brilliant.
Caught this over on “Stories” also… great post! 😉