NOTE: I literally just found out about WordPress’ #bloganuary activities to help bloggers write more, so I’m starting at the prompt I found out and will blog every day in January that is left…
Time travel has ALWAYS intrigued me and there are so many eras in history, fashion, and art that I’d like to personally see. BUT, if I had one wish, it would be to go back to 2011.
You see, I am a survivor of 23+ years of sexual and domestic abuse. 2011 is pertinent to me because that was the first major physical altercation where the police were called when my abuser decided to strangle and punch me. He was arrested and thus began a spiral of VERY messed up events. Spoiler alert: even though he hurt me, i ended up taking him back. He ended up getting me to come back by telling me that he had tried to kill himself, knowing he’d be without us…aaaaaaand I bought that hook, line, and sinker…
I believe that if I could go back to that time, I’d force the courts to make him go to therapy and would’ve gotten myself help and started life on my own, with my kids. We would have gotten our lives together and healed — maybe not be so damaged. I had all of my kids by then, so no one would be missing. We would just have gotten away sooner, been younger, had more time to seek peace, and been further along in recovering from living within the confines of abuse.
If that were the case, I could’ve been nearly 11 years free, instead of nearly five years free. Regardless, freedom, no matter when achieved, is sweet victory! If you are in active abuse, don’t think about the past and the “could’ve beens,” please think about not waiting another minute to be abuse-free. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE, or a trusted advocate to start on the journey out! You DO NOT want someone stating they wished they could’ve gone back in time to save you…