Erich Maria Remarque begins his amazing novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, with these words, “This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men, who, even though they may have escaped its shells, were destroyed by the war.”
I cannot think of a more fitting and poetic way to begin my foray into the blogosphere than with these words. This blog is not intended to be an accusation nor a confession. I want to tell the truth as I have experienced it…my truth…however, my truth touches many lives. I have wrestled for years with the desire to write about my story, but have wondered how the way I interpret the events will affect others (chiefly my children and my ex-husband, as well as my current husband and my parents) Undoubtedly some who read these posts may interpret my words as an attempt to shame them in some way. This is not the case. I will protect your identity to the best of my ability.
This blog is least of all an adventure, because death is not an adventure to those who are faced with it. In the movie, Under the Tuscan Sun, Francis says,
“Do you know the most surprising thing about divorce? It doesn’t actually kill you. Like a bullet to the heart or a head-on car wreck. It should. When someone you’ve promised to cherish till death do you part says “I never loved you,” it should kill you instantly. You shouldn’t have to wake up day after day after that, trying to understand how in the world you didn’t know.”
Yet, in every way except physically, it did kill me. Everything I had built my life upon, everything I believed, everything I had hoped for felt like a lie and losing them was a death to me. The purpose of this blog is to attest that life after death is not only possible, but abundant and sweet. My message here is to proclaim from the mountaintops that life doesn’t just go on after crisis and change, but that rebirth and renewal can be like a butterfly flying from a cocoon. Even if you are not okay right now, you can be again.
So, follow me as I reveal my story of my life before, during, and after my life changing event. Hopefully, you will be inspired, helped, encouraged, or at least, not feel alone. Please leave comments as I want to hear what you are going through, too. Let us embark on this journey from life to death to life again together.
ReLoriMichelle 