Thank you. This really resonates for me right now. I'm 48, but I am a little behind where I should be as a “grown up”. I'm catching up in some ways..
I think the point I like that you made about it taking us years to actually believe things that we know, yet cannot put into action for ourselves.
I recently went through a near death experience and made drastic changes to how I perceive reality. It takes work. It's a fucking chore. But it's better than chronic panic and fear.
Beautiful! I saw myself in your writing, Sarah, which I think is the greatest gift you can give your reader, and more so since it's time on the proverbial couch. I feel like I just got a little hit of free therapy. Thank you Sarah!
Thank you for sharing this story, Sarah. It resonates on so many levels. I recently wrote about confronting my childhood bully in person, and how that moment shaped so much of my life both before and after. I’ll link it below in case you’re curious.
I especially loved the part where you described saying his name like an answer on a game show. I still blurt out my bully’s name like Jordan Catalano, no hesitation, while there are people I truly loved who I can barely remember what letter their name starts with.
And just to overshare for a moment: I posted another essay to a high school Facebook group, and my actual childhood bully ended up following my Substack and reading my stuff. I have no idea if he knows there’s a whole essay about him or if he’s read it, but there’s something incredibly cathartic about putting it out into the world. I hope you felt some version of that same release.
Great story. There's a problem. I too was a tough, wounded girl-child, I stood up my father as well as bullies at school. I was relentless in my defiance. But I never, until I h it 80 and realized it was now or never, felt "good" about myself. Attack me, I'll flatten you. But I have only recently begun to flatten the compliant "me."
Thank you. This really resonates for me right now. I'm 48, but I am a little behind where I should be as a “grown up”. I'm catching up in some ways..
I think the point I like that you made about it taking us years to actually believe things that we know, yet cannot put into action for ourselves.
I recently went through a near death experience and made drastic changes to how I perceive reality. It takes work. It's a fucking chore. But it's better than chronic panic and fear.
Beautiful! I saw myself in your writing, Sarah, which I think is the greatest gift you can give your reader, and more so since it's time on the proverbial couch. I feel like I just got a little hit of free therapy. Thank you Sarah!
Thank you for sharing this story, Sarah. It resonates on so many levels. I recently wrote about confronting my childhood bully in person, and how that moment shaped so much of my life both before and after. I’ll link it below in case you’re curious.
I especially loved the part where you described saying his name like an answer on a game show. I still blurt out my bully’s name like Jordan Catalano, no hesitation, while there are people I truly loved who I can barely remember what letter their name starts with.
And just to overshare for a moment: I posted another essay to a high school Facebook group, and my actual childhood bully ended up following my Substack and reading my stuff. I have no idea if he knows there’s a whole essay about him or if he’s read it, but there’s something incredibly cathartic about putting it out into the world. I hope you felt some version of that same release.
https://open.substack.com/pub/thebaubshow/p/story-time-hows-your-hot-dog?r=2xogo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Great story. There's a problem. I too was a tough, wounded girl-child, I stood up my father as well as bullies at school. I was relentless in my defiance. But I never, until I h it 80 and realized it was now or never, felt "good" about myself. Attack me, I'll flatten you. But I have only recently begun to flatten the compliant "me."