“…some things cannot be bubble wrapped” There is no moving through life without the journey sometimes containing devastating challenges. Perhaps you will find my information strongly worded, but some things cannot be bubble wrapped. I believe that in order to heal and help those in your life heal, we have to begin with proper understanding …
The organic flows of life are eternal, always undulating with time. If we live long enough, we will face multiple crossroads. The question is what do we believe and what will we embrace in that moment—fear and anger OR light and love? To embrace light, means leaning to align your being with who you really …
When the young protagonist in Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist realized that he could not turn back the wind and that he would certainly perish from its sheer force, his spirit merged with the wind. He became one with the wind to harness its’ power. In that epiphanous moment, fear and separation lifted. The interesting thing …
Living is filled with struggles and triumphs, with opportunities and disappointments, with need and fulfillment, with dynamic movement and inertia. Each day that we are blessed to still be in the land of the living, we are gifted with an opportunity to experience our spiritual selves at work, whether we are cognizant of it or not. …
“Nearly every day, we are faced with difficulties, some so excruciating that we wonder if we will not only survive such an onslaught, but we wonder if we will recover to the point of thriving, not just living. “ This leads us to a turning point or crossroads. We may need to recover lost love, money, …
Personal development consists of creating action plan for our career, relationships, self-improvement to name a few. Have you ever heard of the phrase you can’t be any good to anyone else if you aren’t good for yourself? Think about the instructions in an airplane when they tell you before you assist anyone else …
In this season of new beginnings, a metamorphosis of our life emerges whether we’re ready for it or not. Another birthday will take place this year and our bodies, mind and souls, will change with our age/lifestyle. How do we keep up with all that is going on with us personally? There is …
I am entitled to the tree of Life! The power of self-affirmative thoughts and beliefs will begin to shape our lives’ destiny beyond recognition. If done daily no matter how you may feel physically or emotionally will push your psyche into an optimistic mood. Productivity will increase and you will see a different outlook …
Dear Reader, as we shed our layers of winter’s worries, let us embrace spring’s sensitivity. The colors, the smells and ambiance of walking through a garden filled with flowers brings our senses into heightened enlightenment. This is our perception of spring coming into fruition. Have you ever studied a flowers progression? As spring approaches the brittle bud begins …
Dear Reader, over the past 14 weeks we have looked at what it takes to create sacred relationships. Relationships in which we all make a commitment to support each other’s growth and wellness because we believe in each other’s innate goodness and highest potential, are sacred relationships. The 14 steps I have shared about practicing …
This debut memoir chronicles a woman’s spiritual exploration and growth as she overcame a disturbing childhood and helped others heal.
Brought to America from the Dominican Republic as a youngster, Molina-Marshall should have led a happy life. Her father was a diligent worker, and his large family wanted for nothing. But the author recounts that her dad had a drinking problem and was a serial philanderer. Molina-Marshall’s long-suffering mother left him for a woman. Then it was all downhill for the bright, 12-year-old girl, who was shuttled between foster care and relatives. According to the author, she was sexually abused by the husband of one of her siblings. This resulted in Molina-Marshall becoming alienated and moody. By 15, she simply tried to survive. In her favor were grit and a restless intelligence. She quit school, rented a room, and found a factory job. Time went by, and for a while she was happily married. Yet when her husband left her, her life truly began. She turned to religion for answers but decided that blaming God for her woes was a cop-out.
In this absorbing and moving memoir, Molina-Marshall’s vivid storytelling is fearless. She frankly discusses the truths she discovered and the indignities she suffered. These admissions are disclosed with a touch of resignation and plenty of bite. However painful, everything she experienced was a lesson, and she bravely realized that she was part of the problem: “The fear of being hurt, rejected, or abused often led to me feeling lonely and misunderstood. No one knew the agonizing pain I felt being trapped in my thoughts and anger. I was becoming my biggest threat.”
The author skillfully recounts her intricate spiritual journey. To deal with her psychic wounds, she searched for an inspirational system. Her open-mindedness led her to the interfaith concept—cherry-picking from various religions and spiritual movements, yoga, and Indigenous beliefs as a way of finding peace. Along with her female partner, she built a therapy practice, making use of every spiritual element that aided her and others. The road was bumpy, and she found that women of color in same-sex relationships were not welcomed everywhere. To do good works—and finally live on her own terms—she effectively overcame bigotry.
An engrossing, cathartic account of empathy and success through determination and confidence.
Pub Date: May 3, 2022 | ISBN: 978-0-578-38315-6 | Page Count: 264 | Publisher: From Trauma to Triumph | Review Posted Online: June 13, 2022
