Just Look at Us Now
A conversation with Shanna Smidt
Check out my most recent effort to show the world that I have cool friends!
But first.
Just kidding, here it is.
Links:
Purity Culture playlist on YouTube
Readconstruction (with links to books we discussed)
Thanks for sharing your vulnerable verbal processing, it’s clarifying to listen to other perspectives! I would say, though, my experience leaving almost 20 years ago feels easier (for me) in that I’ve had a much slower, gentler de/reconstruction process. My nervous system has had the luxury of time (and plenty of quiet inner processing without outside voices). Society itself has definitely evolved, especially on the trauma front in 20 years, but it seems like the firehose of information available in multiple formats could be a bit overwhelming for people! Relearning a childhood of binary thinking and fundamentalism, in so many forms besides religion, is a lifelong journey. Grateful for the past 3 years and a fresh abundance of stories from people who share my exact religious background! Thank you! (And Shanna, learning what informed consent actually means is transforming for relationships, especially parenting!)
So MANY one liner truism from both of you!
I did listen to it again and got SO MUCH MORE!
We are valuable because we ARE! A mother of neurodivergent kids WOULD be especially aware I believe. Even when I was in the work, I concentrated on believing this: that even monks who did nothing but pray all day had value.
The more we love self, the more love we can give the world.!❤️
Jered: yes, our learning is messy. Yes, we are children, learning, and sometimes we fall into mud. But I LOVE that children ALWAYS get up again and have bother go!!❤️
THANK YOU SO MUCH for validating the “early people”. It DID feel VERY LONELY for 22 years, til Bruergate… but then the MOVEMENT… the FLOOD!! I was TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY! Thank you SO MUCH for being a part of that!!💕💕
Jered: thank you for sharing about your breakdown. Shanna: thank you for sharing about purity culture… I’m going to listen to them all… have some time now, that I’ve caught up with BEMA.😂
Jered, thanks for saying that these conversations are so necessary.
In closing I’m going to say that I’m a quilter and I purchased a quilt in December that is composed of houses. The name of the quilt pattern is: It takes a Village. It speaks to me of connections and community… I have it in my living room and I am reminded EVERYDAY!!💕💕💕