LadyDiRau

This compelling memoir of Stephanie Foo’s journey to accept, forgive and live with her diagnosis of C-PTSD was so powerful in my acceptance of how my formative years trained my heart and responses. Her determination to not allow her past to restrain her joy and drive her gave me hope and understanding beyond what I expected. I love audio books and this narrative captured me. 

Becoming a Grandma was a dream of mine and I so deeply wanted to give it my all with my love, my time, my help, gifts and honor my daughter and son-in-law. This book was an easy and fast read. Perfect examples of interactions that I could relate to that had potential for conflict with Mom & Dad and what not to do and why. I loved the simple message of  ” I’m not the parent, not my rules, not my place. Honor your grandchildren’s parents and soak up every precious moment you get with your grandchildren. 

I have held onto so much pain, anger, and resentment from many things in my life. Forgiving does not mean forgetting. This book helped me realize how forgiveness heals relationships. Hurt and trauma is imprinted and stores in our memory. Just because I have not forgotten, does not mean I cannot forgive myself or others. These stored memories are a protective part of our being. Not forgetting is okay and does not mean you are holding a grudge or keeping score. Forgiveness allows for peace, acceptance and healing of a wound. Forgiveness lifts weight off your heart and if extended to others, can be an ultimate testament of grace we did not know possible to give.

This book is very easy quick read, and is a coffee table book in my house. There is so much daily in our lives that can trip us up to turn our heart happy off. Even for short few minutes this can send my emotional stability into a spiral. This book reminds me in very practical ways how to turn away from that downward spin. It has made understand that I have control over how other people and things of the world can flat line my joy. It’s an attitude with gratefulness. I have too much to be thankful for to allow releasing any of my power to negative thoughts that cloud my joy. I need to be filled with happy to give happy to those I love.

This was an assignment book in our therapy this year as a couple and it was a huge eye opener and kinda made us gulp with regret. My husband and I wished we had these tools of knowledge about each other in so many conflicts we have endeared in our 40 years. I am the Anxious Attachment Style and my husband is the Avoidance Attachment. Even now it is very hard to put into practice the compromises we need to make in both of us wanting the same end result. I keep on and on, he steps away and takes a long long breather. I want to peel off layers and he wants to let it go. We’ve got this. ❤