Comments on: I Never Believed That I’m Beautiful

By: Linda Pittman

Linda Pittman — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:28:10 +0000

Akili Worthy, I am so glad that you are feeling better about yourself. I found that as I aged, that there is a certain amount of self-acceptance that helps with our insecurities. Helping others by sharing your experiences is where HOPE begins. OSA is about sharing that hope. Your life has always had a purpose and meaning, it just takes time to clear away the lies and fog to find this out. Keep on healing…it gets better and better! Uou truly are beautiful and unique…there is no one like you in all the universe.

By: Akili Worthy

Akili Worthy — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:13:14 +0000

This sounds a lot like the old me. Except I wasn’t skinny. I managed the feelings associated with my abuse by eating, so I was a chunky little kid. I hated the way I looked, and never thought I was beautiful.

I met my husband when I was 18. He told me (and still does) that I was beautiful all of the time, and I never believed him. I didn’t begin to believe him until I started to understand my value. Once I realized that I had a purpose, and a unique assignment, I wanted to know more. The closer I got to my creator, the more beautiful I felt.

Today, I still have some insecurity, but it’s very little. I am 35 years old now, and I know things become more clear in your 30′s. I’ve felt pretty good about myself for the past couple years or so. Now, I want to save another woman some time. If you realize that your life has a purpose and a meaning I feel like that is one of the first steps in the healing process…

By: Linda Pittman

Linda Pittman — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:17:25 +0000

Sandra, I had to look up the story you mentioned to understand and reply to your post. The story is a powerful one and I can see why you would relate to it. The sad part of the story is that other than his sister, no one has ever really appreciated and accepted him (Gregor). I know that feeling well, also but I also learned that their rejection of me was their problem and not what dictates my worth and value. Most victims will also either starve themselves, overeat or find some other repusive addiction to keep others away from them because of their fear of being re-victimized and their hate for their own bodies. I hope you have come to realize how beautiful and precious your child is and that he/she deserves lots of love and caring. So does mom, because by being healthy and whole, mom will have the tools she needs to raise her children to be healthy and whole also. Children learn so much from us, a lot of it is modeled. I hope that you are finding healing and peace and that you are learning how beautiful you really are. OSA has a wonderful support system here to help survivors to discover themselves, heal and have a life full of self-love and joy.I hope you enjoy the support here.

By: Sandra

Sandra — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:50:56 +0000

When I was a child, because of my shame from being molested, I didn’t think I looked like a kid.
I didn’t feel like a person, let alone a good-looking person, even when I was an adult. When I was pregnant, I couldn’t believe that I would give birth to anything as beautiful as a baby. My husband would ask, “what do you think it’s going to be- a chicken?”
I related to Kafka’s Metamorphosis, I had no problem imagining feeling like a bug instead of a human.

By: Linda Pittman

Linda Pittman — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 02:25:42 +0000

Brenda, we share a lot of things as survivors. That is a sad truth but also a hopeful truth because we learn that we are no longer alone. I know that it finally comes to you…. the messages of the therapists and support people do finally sink in. We dare to believe in our value and worth and in that tenative turning point, the discovery of us begins. It is a wonderful journey and much more rewarding that we ever imagined. It is never too late to discover you. Learning to care for and enjoy yourself is a peaceful and settled feeling. Taking the time you need for your healing is always valuable, keep on doing for you what makes you feel good inside. The rest of the world will benefit from your own healing because they will find out how beautiful you are inside and out.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 16:31:20 +0000

Linda, thank you so much for sharing your story. It’s like you wrote mine. To this day I find it hard to accept a compliment, though I don’t have a problem giving them. I believe everyone should be complimented daily, it’s good for the soul. This perpetration of MY soul seems to live on forever. Years of therapy, learning to believe that I am a beautiful, passionate woman with a good heart has been a never ending journey. Everytime I tell myself that I’ve dealt with it, something happens to trigger a memory, or a smell will hit me and take me back, and I feel so vulnerable again. I question why bad things happen to good people all the time. But I’m getting better at pulling myself out of the memory and back to reality, which is a 53yr old woman who has lived a life of abuse and survived. I am living alone for the first time in my life and actually enjoying it. Sure I isolate at times, but on the whole, I like who I am, have become, and continue to finally like me. Every survivor should hear your story, and all the stories of women like us. There’s a saying that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I believe survivors are the strongest of all.

By: Linda Pittman

Linda Pittman — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:55:27 +0000

Rachel, i used to wake up in the middle of the night with pelvic pain. I talked to my dr about it and it was contraction of the pelvic floor muscles.No definitive cause seems to be present. Since I do not have all my memories, I am assuming that something happened to me when i was sleeping. I also sleep-walked when young. I have heard that our body stores the memories, also. I believe that is true but as i heal, its recurrence is less and less. Keep that hope alive, there is a wonderful life ahead, in spite of what has happend to us. HUG

By: Rachel

Rachel — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 02:37:17 +0000

I can’t thank you enough for sharing, & I can’t wait to be
where you are in this journey. Just today I had to
face the fact that my chronic pelvic pain (I’ve had for
over 20 yrs) is real pain stemming from childhood sexual
abuse. Intellectually I know I’m loved and worthy of love,
but today I realized that I need to believe in my heart
that I don’t deserve pain…I do indeed deserve love.
I wasn’t able to even say that sentence out loud
today. I’m never going to quit until I truly believe
that. Thanks for giving me hope! Xox Rachel

By: Linda Pittman

Linda Pittman — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 19:54:14 +0000

Darlene, I think that as I get older and finally have learned to accept that I was beautiful when i was younger, I am learning to accept the changes that aging brings too. It sure is a huge topic and one that is twisted around everything that we are. I see your beauty and I am glad I know you!!

By: Elizabeth Deckard

Elizabeth Deckard — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 19:23:15 +0000

Linda,

Thank-you for sharing on such an important topic.
Years of insecurity and self-hatred often plague those who are survivors of sexual abuse. I suffered with this and still do to some degree. In the last five years I was given a most beautiful gift in a spiritual father who was my pastor at the last church I attended. I came to see myself as lovable and good because of who God created me to be. I have been determined for a long time to overcome in the last 30 years what 3 years of sexual abuse did to my heart and mind. I am on the winning end of this thing.
I have found that my faith and hope in God is what makes me stronger and willing to continue to renew my mind. I am learning to see myself through God’s eyes and not my own or anyone else’s.
It takes courage for us to survive and thrive. I love how even though years of problems the way we come to view ourselves can be reversed and undone by the mercy, grace and compassion that God shows His children. He loves so very much and desires to heal our broken hearts.
-Liz