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Saving A Life Through My Blog On Active Rain- AR Is Much More Than Just Real Estate

This is a story that you will need your kleenex for. This is a true story and I have permission from this person to share how I saved her life. After reading this story you will never again dispute the fact that you should be writing with transparency and more than just about real estate on your Active Rain blog.

This is about changing lives, saving lives and making a difference one person at a time which has always been my passion. Business is great and we get a ton of it from blogging on Active Rain but the things that money can never buy are the driving forces behind true Active Rain members and their contributions here.

You never know who will be touched by the posts you write. Blogging is by far the most powerful form of communication on line. Nearly every time I do a search for something now, blogs will now pop up on the search results higher than websites. 

I wrote this post about the beginning of the cycle of domestic violence I became a part of in my previous marriage,  Shattered Glass and Dancing Nights: A Story Of Domestic Violence.

When I awoke one morning last week there was an email on my Active Rain home page. Tears fell from my eyes as I read this young lady's email. It was the beginning of knowing her story. I emailed her back to let her know that I cared. She was SO shocked that I would email her back.  After I emailed her she sent me another email telling me that I had actually saved her life. The the night before she read my post she was thinking about taking her own life. The abuse was so internalized that even looking at her beautiful baby was not enough to keep her alive. I would like you to read her words:

Katerina,
I just wanted to take a moment to write you to let you know that you have help me so much. I was on the computer yesterday and I ran across your blogs...well it must have been God is all I can say. Somehow he directed me to several of your pieces you wrote on freedom and abuse. As a young girl I was raped and never said anything because I believe it was somehow my fault for being in the situation, that was the start of my turbulant years. I became pregnant at a very young age and decided not to have an abortion but to give him up for adoption seeing as how the father raped and used me I couldn't survive on my own with no high school degree or family willing to help. That experience was heartbreaking to feel the absolute love a mother has for a child but to be unselfish and 'do the right thing'...to say the least it gave me a bitter taste and left me angry. I have just gotten out of a very emotionally abusive relationship...my former fiance' would constantly cheat on me, lie, use me and make me feel as though things weren't what they seemed which left me feeling usless, ugly and as if I deserved no better. When I finally decided to break free of him I moved in with my mom and had my baby boy who is 8 wks wednesday.Eventhough I was free from being with him I found myself still trapped to the lies and hurt always blaming myself and wishing I could change what had happened. When I read one of your violence pieces and you said 'just dance' I literally burst out into tears!! You said that we are all beautiful and I soaked up everyword you wrote. I also randomly found a piece you wrote on fear and another on taking ownership for what I have done in the past but that i also have to power to create what I want in life...it was so freeing to me to read these words and know that I can make it just me and my son. I am fortunate to have graduated university last Dec and working toward another degree and maters program at the same time (that someone generously offered to pay for me today an I feel it is a sign from above sinceeading your blog) as well as work and raise my son. I have been suffering from post partum depression as well as bi-polar disorder and have felt that I could not make it until hearing you story. You are an amazing woman that has the ability to take her life experiences and use them for good...you have encouraged me beyond words and I cannot thank you enough for writting these pieces you have truely changed my life!!

Katerina,

Thank you so much for responding to my email...it was unexpected and so encouraging to hear from you! I am at loss for words that you would like to use my email as a tool to maybe help someone and I give 100% permission to use it anyway you see fit!! You are such an inspiration to me in my personal life an I hope to keep in contact with you in the future. It was such a funny story how I ran accross your blog, I knew it had to be God!!..I am 23 and recently moved from South Florida (down town WP) a few months ago to my moms (which I mentioned) and was online looking at houses and real estate, for some reason it directed me to your page..now I do not know how I ended up to your blogs on domestic violence and freeing yourself but I am sure it was all in Gods divine plan!Everyday is a struggle because of some of the choices I have made and some that were chosen for me but I woke up today with such a feeling of empowerment and for the first time I felt like I had my 'free spirit' again!! Since I was diagnosed with bi-polar dissorder and recently post partum depresion, I made a choice not to take medication, and as you said your daughter was doing. I have been trying to cope through diet and exercise..even with that I still felt no relief from the constant pressure from my ex who isn't there for me or my child and chose to walk away to 'party' with his friends while still abusing me verbally. I thought I had delt with some of the anger I had towards him but i had begun to get bitter.Today was the FIRST day that I woke up and did not think of him or things that he did and still does to me.I woke up happy to see my son and excited about my future!You are really doing a great service by blogging and I hope that I am just one of many more who will come forward and encourage you to keep writting from the heart and let you know that your struggles were not in vein. God had a plan, even if that plan was just me. I will be honest and admit that because I felt completely hopeless and alone and dealing with guilt that jI have contemplated suicide many nights (last night being one)..but after reading the beautiful words you wrote I began to cry uncontrolably and knew that I could be free as are you and the suicide thoughts immediately vanished from my mind. As I woke up this morning I still cannot believe who I was just yesterday..your sweet kind words you wrote to 'some girl who should dance and see themselves for being beautiful as they are' have impacted me to my core! I printed out a copy of the blog and I put it next to my sons crib to remind me I can too make it!! Thank you again for opening up you heart and letting God use you to reach others. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. One day in the near future I will return to South Florida to teach school and if i can impact just on persons life the way you have mine I will be greatful!

If you are in an abusive relationship and you come across this post please know that you are loved. You are a wonderful and beautiful human being who has a heart and can choose your thoughts. If you are thinking of taking your own life, reach out  and there will be someone there who cares. I thank God that I had a part in this young lady's recovery and inspired her to live and move on with her life and be a great mother to her baby boy. 

Feel free to reblog this post to spread the word to help empower those who are in abusive relationships.

If you are a blogger, blog on and always write from your heart. You just never know when your words will save a life. 

Copyright © 2008  By Katerina Gasset * All Rights Reserved*