Dear Reader, coming from love in all we do is not the easiest thing. To remember, in the moment of interaction, to stay in loving kindness, is something we all need to focus on and work on constantly. Too often we “feed the beast” in our interaction, responding to our partner as if they are […]
Step 11. Honoring each other’s authenticity Read More »
Dear Reader, sometimes being surrounded by others, even while in a relationship, one can feel lonely and isolated. This state of disconnect or separation is just an illusion and based on our feeling in that moment. Much of the way we feel comes from how we perceive the situation. Consciously changing the way we perceive
Step 10. Knowing the illusion of separation Read More »
Dear Reader, one of the toughest journeys we face in life is the journey of self-discovery. Truly knowing, understanding and accepting oneself is something we as human beings spend our lives attempting to achieve. But it is not just a matter of knowing yourself – to truly grow into your best you, you need to
Step 9. Taking a fearless and moral inventory of self Read More »
Dear Reader, take a moment to think back on your life about the relationships you have been in… Every person can attest to having inadvertently hurt another person at some time in their lives. It was not done deliberately or intentionally, but we did cause pain. We have also been hurt by those closest to
Step 8. Establishing pre-forgiveness Read More »
Dear Reader, taking time to know and love yourself is one of the most important things you can do to create a healthy, happy relationship. A partnership is comprised of two whole Hearts that together make a strong Foundation. Each needs to be whole, complete and strong on its own in order to create a
Step 7. Honor our Interdependency Read More »
Most of us were taught from a young age that in order to be in a relationship, you need to compromise. Often though, we tend to give up a piece of ourselves in order to make things work. Today, in step 6, I am Breaking the Myth that Partnerships are about Compromising and who we
Step 6. Breaking the Myth That Partnerships are About Compromising… Read More »
Who you are might not recognise who you were 15 years ago. Change affects all things including ourselves. Each new experience, interaction, job, even our social groups we spend time in – all of these have an effect on us and make us grow and change. Every day we grow in little ways; and over
Step 5. Accepting Continuous Evolution Read More »
“Beliefs are choices. First you choose your beliefs. Then your beliefs affect your choices.” ~ Roy T. Bennett At one time or another, we have all listened to what is being said but in our minds not truly believed it. This doubt we created inadvertently built a wall between ourselves and the people we were communicating
Step 4. Holding Each Other to Their Truths Read More »
How do you see life? No one’s experience can be identical to any other person’s experience of life. Life is not a race – it does not keep a scorecard! Dear Reader, right now, think about someone you interact with often – do you find yourself keeping track of your past interactions with them and
Step 3. Eliminating the Score Card Read More »
Dear Reader, we discussed how to maintain conscious dialogue. Now we move onto something we are all guilty of doing at one time or another – making assumptions. “Assumption” is defined as something that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof. We have all, at one time or another, made assumptions.
Step 2. Never Make Assumptions Read More »
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
