Art that helped me leave

[DropsOfHope]

Hey everyone, I am new here and I hope that it’s OK to create a new topic.

I wanted to share an excerpt from a book called ‘In The Dream House’ by Carmen Maria Machado, read by the actress Zoë Winters for an episode of ‘This American Life’. I listened to this in the middle of the night, a few days before I found the courage to leave.
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/703/stuck/act-two-6

There are so many factors that ultimately helped me extricate myself from the relationship, but I felt like sharing this particular story (based on the author’s life experiences) today because I’ve been thinking about the power of art a lot.
There is something about the format of the ‘choose your own adventure’ that really highlights how an abusive relationship can make you feel like you have no choice. Tears of recognition were streaming down my face, and at the same time it left me with a glimmer of hope.

Maybe somebody else will enjoy this!

Did you find art helpful on your journey? Would love to hear from other people.

[Soulsearcher18]

Welcome DropOfHope
I love this post, thanks- I will check this out later.
Check out Braelynn’s post in positive moments- Sisterhood Sanctuary. She is a writer and has created a beautiful space for survivors. It is like art.
Do you know what partly helped me get out? Nature.
Seriously, I got so low that I only felt peace in nature and eventually, nature and the trees etc (they don’t judge) became my closest friends and eventually I was reminded that whatever I was, I was part of nature. I was a being.
And eventually that brought me back to my senses somewhat and I left (a little more complicated that that but it most definitely played a part). For Good. Forever.
I will never turn my back again on the nature that saved me.
It continues to be a constant in my recovery.

In celebration of Art, Literature, Music, Nature and the power they have to inspire, motivate and heal.

Proud Treehugger

Soulsearcher18

[DropsOfHope]

(Not sure how this notification system works, think I didn’t directly reply to you yesterday? This is just to say that I appreciated your comment and hope that you have a nice day :))

[Anonymous]

Love this thread!! Will definitely check out the link! Thank you! Ahhh yes, art will do that for you, yes it will. It’s always been a part of my life. I’m an artist, writer and a musician. Being able to do all that has actually saved me more times than not. Being a prisoner in my own home growing up and enduring horrible abuse for almost 2 decades of my life – the only thing I had that helped me besides my dog was my piano. I would play it for hours and I know for a fact it definitely helped save my life.

All this employs the right side of our brain and will tap right into anything that inspires whether that is art, music, nature, etc. People underestimate inspiration but I actually think it is most likely the strongest thing on the planet. Even one tiny little itty bitty bit of it can make things explode into life and liveliness. That’s one reason why I started the Sanctuary thread because if you can dream it, you can do it.

Speaking of nature, too, Soulsearcher……I think being in nature appeals to us so much too because everything is circular. We live in right angles in our man made world. We live in a box, go to work in a box, do our work in a box, etc. But in nature our eyes can rest, it’s all circular. And the magnetic energy coming from nature is very healing. I’m a treehugger myself. I had a huge reaction to being in a giant redwood forest one time. I seriously did not want to leave. I never felt so at home anywhere on the planet.

I am sooo glad this empowered you to leave DropsOfHope! Will watch this today! X*X

[iliketea]

I love this post. I haven’t left but there’s so much that’s helping me get there.
Nature. A renewed love. Something that had been pushed under the carpet since I met him.
Art – Mystery and Melancholy of a Street by de Chirico – when I first began realising what I was experiencing. Well, just before, this spoke so much to me and I didn’t know why, I couldn’t stop looking at it. I have since seen it in person and it made my heart race. It just totally sums up how I felt. How his abuse makes me feel.
The Scream by Munch – the silent pain, the frustration, the crazy thinking, the whirlwind of emotions and noise we all experience in this situation.

[DropsOfHope]

I never reacted to your brilliant responses!
It’s been hard to figure out what is helpful now that I am out of the relationship and I haven’t logged in for a while!

I really appreciated your messages though 🙂

Soulsearcher18, I love that you are a tree hugger! I’ve been really drawn to water myself (the canals and rivers nearby) and I wish I could have a weekend by the sea soon.
Like Braelynn said, nature takes us out of our literal and metaphorical boxes, helping our eyes and minds rest.
iliketea — I had quite a visceral reaction to Mystery and Melancholy of a Street when I Googled it. The sense of isolation and ‘time standing still’ of the composition.

I randomly came across this a few days ago (had never listened to it before) and it spontaneously made me cry — the possibility of bloom! Maybe this resonates too? The lyrics definitely appeal to nature lovers.

[DropsOfHope]

P.S. This is the link I forgot to insert:

[Author]

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