The Gift of Fear

We always hear the phrase "Trust your gut instinct". I agree with this statment whole-heartedly. If I had listened to what my heart and mind was telling me years ago, I would have done things so differently. I made such poor and painful choices and entered into an abusive marriage where I endured pain and suffering for almost 21 long years. As a survivor of this experience; domestic violence is a cause that is dear to my heart.

I have posted a link to a very important book: "The Gift of Fear" written by Gavin De Becker. Fear is a signal that something is wrong, dangerous, and possibly life-threatening. It is a gift from God to protect us from harm. Human beings are the only animals that ignore instincts and fears. We rationalize, analyze, and ignore the signs that there is danger ahead.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is involved in an abusive relationship, is not quite sure he or she is in an abusive relationship, or to anyone that knows someone in a similar situation.

Also, I cannot stress enough the importance of taking the "mosaic test". This is a series of 48 questions to determine whether or not someone has abusive tendencies. Please take some time to answer these questions. It could be a matter of life and death for you or someone you love.

And please remember...you don't have to beaten black and blue to be in an abusive relationship. Control, jealousy, humiliation, and verbal and emotional cruelty are all considered abuse. If you are involved in a situation like this, I urge you to leave as soon as possible.

For assistance contact: National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
1-800-787-3224 (TTY)

Take the Mosiac test at: www.oprah.com
Click the link to the book above to order at Amazon.com
For more information regarding domestic violence: www.thehotline.com

And this is my Daily Cyn.....