About my charmed life

I chose the title “A Charmed Life” because I have felt that my life appears charmed, or at least, normal. Most would never guess that I have had a troubled past. Looking at my life now, everything appears normal as far as society’s standards go. My husband and I have three beautiful boys, a home and pets. We own our home. He has a job, I work part time and take care of the family while going to college. My life is charmed.

But it wasn’t always this way. For 17 years my family was in a cult. We suffered many kinds of abuse, and were separated from our extended family. When we finally decided to leave, it felt like the hourglass of life had been turned upside down. Everything that I had believed for so long was a lie. I did not know who to trust or where to turn. In 2007, I threw myself into my work. That work was a pet grooming shop that I started with a friend.

I had a mental and emotional breakdown in 2011. I had suffered a miscarriage of my twins, and my grandpa was dying. I was experiencing real loss, and it pushed me over the edge. Grieving and feeling like I could not go on, I became home-bound and scared of the world. I was having night terrors, waking up in a panic, and experiencing flashbacks during the day. I sought counseling and found meditation.

Today, I am feeling stronger all the time. I feel like my life is truly charmed. I am so lucky to have a wonderful supportive husband and family. As well as the privilege and responsibility of raising my three boys. They were the reason I made a drastic life change and left the cult. I did not want to raise children there. I wanted them to have a better life. That life started within me.

~E