Welcome to a real life story which will contain the good and the not so good journey of my life which has contained joys and sorrows. Maybe I can pass some knowledge along...
My mother and I arrived at the shelter. The building out back was where the little chapel was including where they fed the homeless. The house mother as I called her took me around showing and introducing me to the staff also showing me where the donations were telling me I could start gathering the things I needed to start my new life.
The main house was pretty big with separate bedrooms which the one I was assigned had a sliding glass door to the enclosed back yard full of trees and flowers. It was very peaceful back there.
I quickly fell into the shelter's routine fast making friends with the staff. Remember I only weighed 101lbs soaking wet so my friend the cook made me hot cocoa every time I went in to eat. In fact one night he brought over a case of my now favorite drink to the women's shelter which was totally against the rules but house mother allowed it. It wasn't long I started putting weight back on.
I remember I was feeling so forlorn, ridden with guilt missing my child. I was sitting outside, it was nighttime. I had been attending Sunday services in the little chapel so God was again a huge part of my life. Sitting outside I began to pray asking the Lord if I'm meant to be here and on the right path, please send me a sign, PLEASE.
Then I felt it, an invisible stream of energy came from the above heavens aimed right at my heart. My heart started beating faster and faster, I was overjoyed. I got my sign.
My mother was bringing my daughter to visit, I was off the drug and gaining weight, free from that life. I was in my early twenties. I felt bad for putting my family through my troubles and was trying very hard to change my ways settling into collecting clothes, stuff for a new apartment, going to church.
My birthday rolled around in November I had been at the shelter for around a month my cook friend had baked me a birthday cake. Life was pretty sweet. I had been allowed to leave the shelter going with my friend to the pizza place but there was beer there, ut-oh. Always being a rebel, mischief was my middle name we both ordered a mug of beer. Needless to say from not drinking all that month I got tipsy and when we returned house mother marched me right over to the little chapel which today I grin at.
A couple of weeks had passed, I and another girl who was at the shelter were given a pass to go from Indio to Palm Springs for the day. I took her over to see my family, next going to the mall and downtown. It started to get late, we were going up to meet our bus and I hear "Sheryl"!! I turned and it was Kelly, the guy who had abused me but all those memories faded away at the sight of him.
Like a sleepwalker I crossed the street where he grabbed me giving me a huge hug telling me how much he missed me, leading me to my old apartment. I was home again. He continued to be quite charming making me laugh as he used to do, I gave him another chance...
You're probably reading this yelling in your head, noooooo, don't do it!! Looking back I wonder who that young woman was and I now know I was just a kind hearted, loving women who thought she could change anyone with enough love, right??
I was dead wrong.
To be continued next Monday, hold on tight it's gonna be a bumpy ride!
The main house was pretty big with separate bedrooms which the one I was assigned had a sliding glass door to the enclosed back yard full of trees and flowers. It was very peaceful back there.
I quickly fell into the shelter's routine fast making friends with the staff. Remember I only weighed 101lbs soaking wet so my friend the cook made me hot cocoa every time I went in to eat. In fact one night he brought over a case of my now favorite drink to the women's shelter which was totally against the rules but house mother allowed it. It wasn't long I started putting weight back on.
I remember I was feeling so forlorn, ridden with guilt missing my child. I was sitting outside, it was nighttime. I had been attending Sunday services in the little chapel so God was again a huge part of my life. Sitting outside I began to pray asking the Lord if I'm meant to be here and on the right path, please send me a sign, PLEASE.
My mother was bringing my daughter to visit, I was off the drug and gaining weight, free from that life. I was in my early twenties. I felt bad for putting my family through my troubles and was trying very hard to change my ways settling into collecting clothes, stuff for a new apartment, going to church.
My birthday rolled around in November I had been at the shelter for around a month my cook friend had baked me a birthday cake. Life was pretty sweet. I had been allowed to leave the shelter going with my friend to the pizza place but there was beer there, ut-oh. Always being a rebel, mischief was my middle name we both ordered a mug of beer. Needless to say from not drinking all that month I got tipsy and when we returned house mother marched me right over to the little chapel which today I grin at.
A couple of weeks had passed, I and another girl who was at the shelter were given a pass to go from Indio to Palm Springs for the day. I took her over to see my family, next going to the mall and downtown. It started to get late, we were going up to meet our bus and I hear "Sheryl"!! I turned and it was Kelly, the guy who had abused me but all those memories faded away at the sight of him.
Like a sleepwalker I crossed the street where he grabbed me giving me a huge hug telling me how much he missed me, leading me to my old apartment. I was home again. He continued to be quite charming making me laugh as he used to do, I gave him another chance...
You're probably reading this yelling in your head, noooooo, don't do it!! Looking back I wonder who that young woman was and I now know I was just a kind hearted, loving women who thought she could change anyone with enough love, right??
I was dead wrong.
To be continued next Monday, hold on tight it's gonna be a bumpy ride!
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