Sunday, 26 May 2013

Never under estimate the power of a single act of kindness, it has the potential to save a life...




Last night I had the pleasure and discomfort of speaking openly and honestly at the wonderful launch of This Place is Yours, a storytelling initiative that celebrates the human experience. I was asked to join a group of amazing people doing brilliant and inspiring work in the communities and in the world at large. I felt honored, humbled and most definitely inspired.

We all have a story to tell and we all tell in our own unique way. I continue to choose the path of least resistance and made a decision a long time ago that in any and all speaking engagements the very best and most authentic thing that I can do for others and myself is to simply show up and speak from the heart.

Speaking my truth at this inspiring event was centered around this one re-occurring sentenced that was whispered into my ear straight from my heart and my very own life experience…”Never under estimate the power of a single act of kindness, it has the potential to save a life"

I spoke about my childhood and the abuse I suffered throughout. This isn’t new to me but each time I speak out it’s feels very new for each audience to hear about such a life experience, unless of course I am speaking to the minds, hearts and souls of those who have also known childhood abuse.

As I shared a very personal story about the time I had planned to end my life at age of 13, I knew that there were others in the room that knew of how I felt, there always is. There are many, many others out in the world and many I know personally. This needs to be talked about. The dirty little secret of childhood sexual abuse and the damage it has caused countless numbers of children from one generation to the next, continues still. I will not allow the discomfort, mine or other peoples to silence me as it did in my childhood.

For what felt like a long and unbearable childhood I suffered one abuse or another over a period of days and years. It left me feeling deeply unworthy and unlovable. Child abuse breaks children hearts, literally and no more so than when it’s carried out by the very people who are supposed to love and care about us the most, the people that are supposed to keep us safe and protect us from anything bad ever happening.

And sexual abuse, well it just crosses a whole other line. I will continue to speak up and speak out and to all the women and men along the way who have thanked me for my honesty and shared your truth and experiences with me I thank you for your honesty. I no longer carry the burden of shame that was never mine to carry; I gave it back to whom it belongs. I no longer feel unworthy and unlovable. My heart, my mind, my soul now holds the light and experiences of healing that grow everyday I nourish it. It is a brave and courageous journey; full of falling down, falling apart, rising up and putting myself back together again.

My heart is strong in all the broken places and stronger for every time I share and honor my story and know that it makes a difference in the lives of others.

Melanie Lee 


You can find out more and visit our social enterprise here   http://www.thecreativekind.org

10 comments:

  1. I'd like to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing
    this website. I am hoping to see the same high-grade blog posts from you in the future as well.
    In truth, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my very own website now ;)

    My web-site :: printed banners [exthoughts.com]

    ReplyDelete
  2. I found you on my friend's FB page & just love what I am reading. I'll follow & hope that you will continue to write meaningful words, paragraphs & collected pages: another book.

    ReplyDelete
  3. We are a bunch of volunteers and opening a brand new scheme in our community.
    Your web site provided us with valuable info to work on.
    You've performed a formidable task and our whole group shall be grateful to you.


    Also visit my web site: Elvera

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great post. I was checking constantly this weblog and I am inspired!
    Extremely helpful info specially the remaining part :) I deal with such info much.
    I used to be looking for this certain information for a long time.
    Thank you and good luck.

    Stop by my web-site Shasta

    ReplyDelete
  5. We're a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community.
    Your site offered us with valuable info to work on. You have done a formidable job and our entire community will be
    thankful to you.

    my webpage :: homepage

    ReplyDelete
  6. You are so interesting! I do not think I've truly read through anything like that before.
    So wonderful to discover another person with some unique thoughts on this subject matter.

    Really.. thanks for starting this up. This website is one thing that is needed on
    the web, someone with a little originality!

    Here is my web page ... VW T5 Blog

    ReplyDelete
  7. I like the valuable info you supply to your articles.
    I'll bookmark your blog and take a look at again right here regularly.
    I am fairly sure I'll be told a lot of new stuff proper here!
    Good luck for the following!

    Also visit my page; Josefina

    ReplyDelete
  8. We are a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community.
    Your web site provided us with valuable info to work on.
    You have done an impressive job and our entire community will be grateful to
    you.

    Feel free to surf to my web site :: Marco

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you everyone for your comments and feedback, much appreciation :-) it seems to be that this particular post is resonating with many people and that makes the sharing of my story feel like the right thing to do. All to often the parts of ourselves we hide and deny we do so for fear of being vulnerable. I see my vulnerability as one of my greatest strengths and I hope that this post and and others on my blog empower others to connect with that strength within themselves. Best wishes to all :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello there! This is my first visit to your blog!
    We are a group of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community
    in the same niche. Your blog provided us beneficial information to work
    on. You have done a wonderful job!

    Feel free to visit my web blog ... free music downloads, twitter.com,

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comments, we would love to hear from you, your feedback is most welcome & and appreciated.