Hi Heather! Reading your words feels like connecting with a friend who has been a way a long time. I think of you and Dave often. Reading that you are healing gives me hope that we will heal someday, too. So thanks for writing.
I have missed your voice, honesty, turn and burn of phrase. So glad your years of writing to heal brought you back to the public square. May you be well and may you find delight and peace as you share from that unique life, mind, and heart of yours.
What a blessing it is to see your words on a page again. Just before your last post God brought you to my mind and I am so glad to see your words again. Thank you for your transparency in your struggles.
I pray that your book will "see the light of day." I would read it in a heartbeat, and buy a copy for every woman in my prayer group. Bring the darkness out into the light. There would be healing for many of us who suffer from loving someone who battles addiction and mental health issues.
I just read this quote (on incarnation) from CS Lewis: "The pure light walks the earth; the darkness, received into the heart of Deity, is there swallowed up. Where, except in uncreated light, can the darkness be drowned?"
Thanks for your words, Kate. If I ever do go back and revise, it will be to focus it less on the shooting and more on the issues of addiction and mental health--which is what it all came down to. Best to you.
I agree with the other commenters, Heather. You have been missed. Every human story matters so much and I am really glad you are back, wanting to tell more of yours. I still want to be on your team. Your post fills me with hope to carry on, bravely telling my true story ("If Heather can do it, so can I.") and limping along day by day, some days quite victoriously. Thanks for carrying on, friend.
Don, so good to see you here. I love the name, Leaving the Land of Numb. Hard to do sometimes, right? I still find ways to race back there. Your encouraging words here mean a lot.
I saw your name in my email and a rush of feelings came back from when your writing helped me get through an extremely painful divorce and the subsequent alcoholism and all the consequences…I believe you are a gift and am glad you reached out to all of us again. So…thank you Heather, you are so very brave.
Cynthia, I am so sorry you went through such hard stuff. I used to deflect all comments that I'm brave. I didn't feel brave. And I felt the requirement was forced on me. But now, I tend to think, "Yeah. I've got some brave in me." Clearly, so do you.
Heather, I stopped what I was doing today when I saw you had posted something because I love your honest voice. I picked up your memoir a couple years ago while I was in an MFA program and I was searching for honest memoir of Christian women who’ve struggled. I needed examples of stories by women of faith to help me write my own tangled story of childhood abuse and the death of my father that brought me back to God. Eventually I’d have to write, too, about my husband’s addiction issues and that difficult journey.
I love your honesty and feel it’s so valuable for so many. I can only imagine the complex web of feelings writing and sharing about Noah, and I would be one those who walked through that harrowing story.
Sandra, thanks for sharing this with me. What a hard journey you've been on. It sounds like you're a writer, too. I'll have to come check you out. Glad to know there's someone else out there who isn't put off by "harrowing." :)
I'm always so very happy to see your name, and beautiful face. You have been helping me through articles in Virtue, Goody two Shoes, sober books, etc, etc. I wish I could take away your pain. I hope you can see yourself through God's eyes, and feel His love. I care for you deeply, as a friend I have never met. I'm so glad to see you writing again! God bless you always Heather,
Valerie, wow. You go way, way back with me. Not surprisingly, I feel like I've changed and evolved so much over those 30 plus years that I can hardly recognize my old self. And yet all those incarnations of me are still part of me. Your words here are so kind and heartfelt. I want you to know they went in. Hopefully, you'll see me here again soon.
Heather, I’m crying reading this. The world needs you. We need you. I need you. Selfishly. Your words have been a salve for my soul over the last year. Thank you for returning. I can’t wait to see what comes of it. And know there’s an army of us waiting to help you, even if that’s simply reading what you write.
I can’t begin to express how grateful I am that you’re writing here again…with us, for us. I’ve come back from relapse, suffered the traumatic loss of a spouse, and have found healing in writing, in sobriety, and even in remarriage. Hearing from you, knowing what you’ve been working on, how you’re healing and that you and Dave are persevering (and just surviving sometimes), feels like I’ve reunited with a family member.
Krista, I love that you said "with us, for us." I love that idea, as it reminds me that we don't write alone and we don't write for no one. Thanks for being part of my community. And yes, let's be long lost family refound.
I absolutely love the line: “I wasn’t reaching for healing so much as thrashing around in my pain.” Boy does this describe the person I love who suffers from substance use disorder. I’m so glad you decided to reach for healing and that you’re including us on your journey!
Kimberly, thanks for taking time to write this note. I hope your person becomes exhausted from all that thrashing around and collapses into surrender soon. Hope to see you again here.
So much wisdom here learning to love the broken, hurting and wounded parts of ourselves. I'm glad you found your way back to healing.
Hi Heather! Reading your words feels like connecting with a friend who has been a way a long time. I think of you and Dave often. Reading that you are healing gives me hope that we will heal someday, too. So thanks for writing.
Welcome home. So glad you are here!
I have missed your voice, honesty, turn and burn of phrase. So glad your years of writing to heal brought you back to the public square. May you be well and may you find delight and peace as you share from that unique life, mind, and heart of yours.
Hope, so good to see your name here. Thanks so much for your encouraging words.
What a blessing it is to see your words on a page again. Just before your last post God brought you to my mind and I am so glad to see your words again. Thank you for your transparency in your struggles.
Thanks, Mona. I feel so warmly welcomed by you and others. I hope we'll meet again here.
I pray that your book will "see the light of day." I would read it in a heartbeat, and buy a copy for every woman in my prayer group. Bring the darkness out into the light. There would be healing for many of us who suffer from loving someone who battles addiction and mental health issues.
I just read this quote (on incarnation) from CS Lewis: "The pure light walks the earth; the darkness, received into the heart of Deity, is there swallowed up. Where, except in uncreated light, can the darkness be drowned?"
Thanks for your words, Kate. If I ever do go back and revise, it will be to focus it less on the shooting and more on the issues of addiction and mental health--which is what it all came down to. Best to you.
I agree with the other commenters, Heather. You have been missed. Every human story matters so much and I am really glad you are back, wanting to tell more of yours. I still want to be on your team. Your post fills me with hope to carry on, bravely telling my true story ("If Heather can do it, so can I.") and limping along day by day, some days quite victoriously. Thanks for carrying on, friend.
Don, so good to see you here. I love the name, Leaving the Land of Numb. Hard to do sometimes, right? I still find ways to race back there. Your encouraging words here mean a lot.
I saw your name in my email and a rush of feelings came back from when your writing helped me get through an extremely painful divorce and the subsequent alcoholism and all the consequences…I believe you are a gift and am glad you reached out to all of us again. So…thank you Heather, you are so very brave.
Cynthia, I am so sorry you went through such hard stuff. I used to deflect all comments that I'm brave. I didn't feel brave. And I felt the requirement was forced on me. But now, I tend to think, "Yeah. I've got some brave in me." Clearly, so do you.
Heather, I stopped what I was doing today when I saw you had posted something because I love your honest voice. I picked up your memoir a couple years ago while I was in an MFA program and I was searching for honest memoir of Christian women who’ve struggled. I needed examples of stories by women of faith to help me write my own tangled story of childhood abuse and the death of my father that brought me back to God. Eventually I’d have to write, too, about my husband’s addiction issues and that difficult journey.
I love your honesty and feel it’s so valuable for so many. I can only imagine the complex web of feelings writing and sharing about Noah, and I would be one those who walked through that harrowing story.
I do hope you keep writing.
Sandra, thanks for sharing this with me. What a hard journey you've been on. It sounds like you're a writer, too. I'll have to come check you out. Glad to know there's someone else out there who isn't put off by "harrowing." :)
I chanced on this, Heather, and I’m so happy to hear your voice again. Keep writing, I’m looking forward to learning more about your journey.
Dina! Wow, it's been a long time. Hope you're well these days. Thanks so much for your encouraging words. Means a lot.
Hi Heather 🙋♀️
I'm always so very happy to see your name, and beautiful face. You have been helping me through articles in Virtue, Goody two Shoes, sober books, etc, etc. I wish I could take away your pain. I hope you can see yourself through God's eyes, and feel His love. I care for you deeply, as a friend I have never met. I'm so glad to see you writing again! God bless you always Heather,
❤ Valerie
Valerie, wow. You go way, way back with me. Not surprisingly, I feel like I've changed and evolved so much over those 30 plus years that I can hardly recognize my old self. And yet all those incarnations of me are still part of me. Your words here are so kind and heartfelt. I want you to know they went in. Hopefully, you'll see me here again soon.
Heather, I’m crying reading this. The world needs you. We need you. I need you. Selfishly. Your words have been a salve for my soul over the last year. Thank you for returning. I can’t wait to see what comes of it. And know there’s an army of us waiting to help you, even if that’s simply reading what you write.
John, I love your tender heart. Thanks so very much for these kind words. I hope I can keep returning.
I can’t begin to express how grateful I am that you’re writing here again…with us, for us. I’ve come back from relapse, suffered the traumatic loss of a spouse, and have found healing in writing, in sobriety, and even in remarriage. Hearing from you, knowing what you’ve been working on, how you’re healing and that you and Dave are persevering (and just surviving sometimes), feels like I’ve reunited with a family member.
Thanks for showing up again. It really matters.
Krista, I love that you said "with us, for us." I love that idea, as it reminds me that we don't write alone and we don't write for no one. Thanks for being part of my community. And yes, let's be long lost family refound.
I absolutely love the line: “I wasn’t reaching for healing so much as thrashing around in my pain.” Boy does this describe the person I love who suffers from substance use disorder. I’m so glad you decided to reach for healing and that you’re including us on your journey!
Kimberly, thanks for taking time to write this note. I hope your person becomes exhausted from all that thrashing around and collapses into surrender soon. Hope to see you again here.