We Survived And Arrived – Now As Warriors We Thrive
First, thank you so much for visiting my blog, a work in progress, as am I! My prayer is that you will find this blog to be a beneficial resource, including helpful links and countless words of encouragement. I also hope that my true stories will provide a means in which you can genuinely relate. Knowing that you are not alone can be one of the first and most helpful facts on your path to recovery. It certainly meant the world to me! Growing up isolated, as many of us do, we somehow comprehend that we are different. However, we don’t really understand why or even how we are unique. Hopefully you will soon fully appreciate that your heart may still be tender at times, but that you are a true warrior! I am writing this blog also to impart how I believe Adult Children cannot only persist but can grow up to become productive, significant and happy adults who create a noteworthy difference in this world. We can shatter the rotating circle of chaos which can be our horrific nemesis and instead, we can be victorious. We can even be blessed with children who lead story book lives that we can be proud of, lives we never could have imagined living ourselves. My ability to survive my childhood and early adulthood came from my never-ending faith and love for God and his son, Jesus Christ. Thankfully, my mother imparted her faith to me during her precious and few sober moments. In order to survive a life full of mental, physical and sexual abuse within the home I lived in, I clung to my faith. God continues to be the one consistent life-preserver, which is still always within my reach. Grabbing onto that gift, which keeps my head above water and my heart afloat even during the hard times today, I am so grateful for His love! I am appreciative for all the priceless books, therapists, groups and specialists that are available to help Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACoA). It is an absolute that we collectively understand that we do belong, we are strong and we unequivocally do matter!
Note About Painting
The amazingly talented and internationally recognized Spanish artist Francisco Bravo Cabrera, a.k.a. Bodo Vespaciano, painted this beautiful piece, called “Life Is Life,” which we purchased and currently hangs above our fireplace.
Francisco, artist/poet, is a graduate of Miami’s Florida International University. He has been engaged in the art world since 1998 developing his “JaZzArt” and his “Surreal-Expressionism.” He has exhibited in cities such as New York, Miami, Istanbul, Barcelona, Zaragoza and Valencia. His compositions are made up of musical instruments and bodies that exist in his worlds of jazz and fantasy. His endeavour is to create paintings that communicate and transmit a message of hope, peace and togetherness.
“One must be true to one’s self. I am a painter of my day, giving in that manner, spirituality to my work. Talent is the result of hard work, but art is a gift from God and to God goes the glory.” Francisco Bravo Cabrera
Francisco, knowing full well that art and poetry are two forms of the same creative urge that comes from the soul and enrich our spirit, created the cover for my upcoming book of poetry to be released April of 2024 by Prolific Pulse Press, LLC (Prolific Pulse Blog) along with other included illustrations. You can see much more of Francisco’s work at his website, Painting In Valencia.
