Return-Path: <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f2GKa6g07716; Fri, 16 Mar 2001 15:36:11 -0500 (EST) Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 15:36:11 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <e8.11eb25cb.27e3d23e@aol.com> Errors-To: alcrsb@langate.gsu.edu Reply-To: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: AWilder106@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:1299] Re: interesting experience X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: AOL 4.0 for Mac - Post-GM sub 146 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Status: O Content-Length: 1775 Lines: 29 I recently had a very useful experience, so I thought I would share it as we are on this topic. I haven't seen my brother and his family for many years and I suffer at holidays from this loss. I decided to go to a rabbi who I much admired to ask his advice on what to do about my suffering. If course I told him about my early incest, and a lot of other bad things that have happened to me. He was shocked and upset, a very honest man and honest reaction and very helpful to me as a "reasonable" reaction. I said I identified with Joseph in the Bible, and he suggested that Job sounded more accurate. He also suggested I construct a new life. I converted and became a Jew 14 years ago, was originally a Protestant. I sought out a new way to live, what I call a 'lateral move," didn't cost much, and certainly gave me lots of new reading. I was profoundly affected by the meeting with the rabbi. I will always sob about my missing family, especially like now, moving into a holiday season, but at least I have some idea of who I am, what cultural space I can fit into as a person. This unusual man gave me a role and a metaphor for living, so building it is, as I talk to you all from the construction front. I take this all quite literally, and am having work done on the house. It's very comforting to have the construction guys working away on the third floor. I think women have to "come out" of whatever they are emerging from in their own way, at least I did. I can stand up in a group if it suits, but I sure wouldn't push this on anyone, and I sort of object to putting a person in a position of either lying, by not standing, or doing something that is just too hard, and really it's not anyone else's business, is it? Andrea
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