Sick child at home (threw up last night and I slept through it!) means I get to play hookey from work-- and help the now feeling fine and energetic child find something to occupy themselves-- besides tv and video games.
No work means time to write and think and chat with friends I haven't had time to catch up with lately. All glorious.
But sad. As I confided in a good friend about the struggle this year has been in our marriage and the amazing blessings the Lord has poured into our family and home, tears welled up in her eyes because that is the same struggle she has been facing too. The battle with porn has left its mark on my friend.
How would I have known? How could she have known? Women who see and love each other and share so much but leave so much of the heartbreak unsaid. It's understandable of course. It's not my sin. It's not my problem. It is not mine to embarrass or unveil my Edmond's problems in the eyes of the world-- even if it is my own small area of the globe. And thankfully Edmond doesn't feel like my discussing my problems with his pron addiction is "outing" his secret. But I still don't feel like I can walk into a group setting and outright talk about the issues I face.
I know I am not the only woman facing these same challenges in my neighborhood. Blogs are great. But they are still filtered, edited, and not the fully raw emotion. There is something about crying with a friend and sharing tears of empathy that heals the soul. There is something to knowing that a person you KNOW is going through the same muck that makes it more bearable... at least you can make a joke and they understand, or a comment that will not be taken the wrong way.
I remember the day Edmond told me. I called a dear friend to talk. She listened and she loved. But she had no clue. It took months for me to find a friend (one that I already had) who had experienced the same thing. And now 8 months later, I know 3 women personally whose spouses have porn issues- this morning it was 2. There has got to be a better way to support the women around us who bear this unspoken burden.
I am reminded of the story of the first Christians in the Roman Empire. They lived in secrecy never knowing who among them shared their belief. They developed a secret sign to distinguish themselves. When they met someone they would draw half the outline of a fish in the sand with their toe. If the person responded by finishing the figure, they each knew they were believers.
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| photo credit: teejaybee via photopin cc |
Half a heart will be my sign. Finish my heart and I will know you know. I will know you share burdens and heartbreak. I'll know that your heart is being healed just like mine is through the Atonement of Christ and His Love. Christ's love is answer for each women of faith who turns to the Savoir.
It will be His love that heals our homes and families.
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| photo credit: Miriam Cardoso de Souza via photopin cc |
YES. A thousand times yes. I recently discovered that on our block, with our four LDS families, EACH ONE is affected by pornography addiction. And none of us have talked about it with one another, until recently-- and even then, it was just the two of us. I so wish we could just answer honestly when someone says, "Hey, how's it going?" Or when a visiting teacher says, "Is there anything I can do for you?", I wish I had the courage to say, "Yes. Sit here while I cry and spew all the difficulty I'm holding onto right now, and tell me I'm not crazy and that I can be happy again."
ReplyDeleteI like your sign idea. I hope everyone reads this, and knows to do it too.
I think learning to be honest and open about our issues will be the turning point in the fight against porn. As long as we carry our burdens in the darkness, the darkness wins. It's time to shine a little light.
DeleteThanks for joining me.