I pictured my sister crying, wondering why I never told her. She did cry. But she also told me this: "There is such great power in doing this, Lauren. I've heard it said that shame loses its power when we are fully known and truly delighted in. I delight in you completely."
Today I’ll be sending an email to my close friends and family to give them the ‘heads up’ about this project. I’d like them to have a chance to digest before I attach my name to the project and really get behind it. I’m sure they’ll support me, but I’m also nervous about their reactions.
I started this project because I’m ready to share my story, to end my silence. I was raped three separate times as a teenager and in my early twenties. I’ve suffered shame, guilt, anger, depression, substance abuse, and hopelessness –