Index

Age: 60, Location: san bernardino

When were you at your weakest:
when my daughter-in law died,my mother died,my best friend died,my sister died.than my auntand uncle.

When were you at your strongest:
when i lost my job, my car broke down, and i was homeless.i first broke down, walking in the middle of the night with my things in a grocery basket,thinking no one cares and all i could think about was calling a aunt that wasn't speaking to me,but when i called she sent a taxi for me, and i stayed till she passed away. she left her house to me, with no mortage payments. thats made me the strongest ever.

How are you feeling now:
lonely, even though have have my children, and some family that live close bye, they never call, we only get together when somebody passes away,i try to remind myself that positive thinking brings positive outcome and i hope they don't feel like i do.

Age: 28, Location: New zealand

When were you at your weakest:
When I was under the power of an alcoholic, emotionally abusive male

When were you at your strongest:
Being an independent woman, working hard, studying and looking after my children all at once :) I am a woman and I am strong, happy, independent and I will make it!

How are you feeling now:
Like my own person..like I don't need man..like I can achieve anything I put my mind too.

Age: 35, Location: Ontario Canada

When were you at your weakest:
I was at my weakest when I was going through the PAS allegations in the Family courts. I thought being a survivor was hard enough but finding out my children were too was devestating.

When were you at your strongest:
I was my strongest at the Criminal Injuries Hearing just this year when I told my story.

How are you feeling now:
I'm feeling at rest now that I've told and was finally believed. My children have also been believed after three years of fighting against our abusers allegations of PAS.

Age: 60, Location: Miami, Florida, USA.

When were you at your weakest:
When I, even being a professional, was unemployed. Being mother of 3 and grand mother of 2, was alone. Had once my own house, and was homeless...

When were you at your strongest:
When, 20 years ago, I left my stablished life and decided to run after my dreams while I still had the stamina. Never felt so energized !!

How are you feeling now:
In transition, between the"" post fallen bitterness"" and the ""golden distance"" the 60s puts between you and your passions...

Age: 62, Location: Pennsylvania

When were you at your weakest:
I WAS AT MY MOST WEAKEST WAS WHEN MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY, SHE HAS BEEN GONE NOW ALMOST 18 YEARS AND UP TO THIS DAY, I STILL MISS HER.

When were you at your strongest:
WHEN MY 1ST GRANDSON WAS BORN. HE IS ALMOST 18 NOW AND HE IS MY HEART.I NOW HAVE 3 GRANDSONS AND I CHERISH THEM WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL.

How are you feeling now:
I FEEL BLESSED BECAUSE I HAVE MY FAMILY, MY HEALTH AND GODS' INSPIRATION IN MY HEART AND TO ME THAT IS A GREAT FEELING KNOWING THAT YOU CAN GET UP IN THE MORNING AND SAY ""THANK YOU LORD FOR MY LIFE ONCE AGAIN"".

Age: 64, Location: Cuyahoga Falls, OH

When were you at your weakest:
When my daughter was diagnosed with MS. As a mother, it is just natural to feel...no matter how old they are...that it is our job, our responsibility, our duty, our call to protect our children from any kind of harm. Against such things, even a mom is helpless. It was a reminder that in and of ourselves we can do nothing and must give everything to the Lord.

When were you at your strongest:
When I was divorced and raising two small daughters, while working full time and going to college at the same time. Some days I look back on those days and wonder how in the world I made it through. I am ever so grateful to God for always having His hand on my life.

How are you feeling now:
I am blessed beyond that of which I am worthy. Content, comfortable, at peace.

Age: 47, Location: Serbia

When were you at your weakest:
When my child was born, and she was exausted and could not breastfeed. Nobody really told me how to deal with that, and I was sent home from hospital with her, and for few days we were trying but she was getting weaker and weaker, and I thought she was going to die. I will never forget that feeling of helplessness in my deepest need to help this new life which God put into my hands to support. And, God, how much I love her!!!

When were you at your strongest:
When, after many years with no man in my life, I came to the point of not needing one. My personal inner development took twenty years of striving to understand my own responsibilities and to 'make that change'. And life with the chronic alchoholic, the father of my child, was anything but easy. Trying to provide conditions for my daughter so that she does not suffer, feeling self-pitty and, more painfully, pitty for her, all of that was fight that took many years, but, all the time, I was blessed with the connection to the road of self-development, and I was getting there. The moment when I felt I AM there, I know what my story is all about, I understand my share of guilt, I forgive myself, and even I forgive OTHERS, that moment and from then on, is when I was/am at my strongest. I came home to my real self. That was about 3 months before Michael died, and I had no idea what was going to come. I liked his music, but never knew much about him personally. In these three months, after reaching my strongest, I got to know 3 people (funny enough, all men) who changed my life, and are still changing it. Michael was the strongest influence, the day he died I felt that ENERGY, like so many others, and as by a magnet, was forever attracted to him.

How are you feeling now:
I am learning so much about Love, I am getting stronger and stronger each day. My daughter is so full of Love and just by being with her, I can also learn. And Michael is ALWAYS in me, with his light that I can feel inside. I have a group of people who are spiritually on the same road with me, they are Essential Friends. And, thanks to Michael, in my free time I am working with Street Children, and with them, I also learn about Love. Love is my life, my Road. There is so much yet to learn, but I know how to walk that road.

Age: 54, Location: California

When were you at your weakest:
I was at my weakest three different times in my life. The first time is when my dad passed away. I had just moved myself and my little daughter in with him, his new wife and their new baby. When he passed away, I lay in bed and cried for months. The second time was when two of my three children turned against me and would not communicate with me for reasons I still don't understand. The thied time was when Michael Jackson died. My mom. my brother me and my daughter were all big fans of his from the very beginning. I bought the Thriller doll for my daughter and the Beat It doll for my brother back in the 1980's. My brother died at 18 years old and my mom died in 2005. I did not cry or morn neither one of them as much as I should have. At the time I was raising my twin sons alone and I had to stay strong. But when Michael Jackson died i cried everyday for a whole year. One day I woke up and said to myself ""I am done crying"" and I was. I think when Michal died I was finally able morn mom, my brother and Michael too.

When were you at your strongest:
I was at my strongest after my dad passed away. I started a trade school and I suddenly realized that the only person I needed to prove anything to was myself. I was raising my daughter as a single parent and only in my early twenties.

How are you feeling now:
I am now alone and i have had to start a new life after ""Empty Nest."" I have my ups and downs but I am trying to be strong each day. It is not easy sometimes because everyone either moved away or died so I feel alone quite a bit. Each day has its challenges and I am learning to tackle one thing at a time. Life is good most of the time. My model is ""Simple is Better."" By going through all my belongings and getting rid of things I really do not need, my load feels much lighter. So keeping it simple like the old folks did has made me a better person and I feel happier too.

Age: 18, Location: Columbia

When were you at your weakest:
When I was seven right after I had been raped. I gave up and let people treat me anyway they wanted to. I gave up on God.

When were you at your strongest:
My freshman year, I stood up for what I wanted, told my parents about the rape and sexually abuse. I felt like my life was heading in the right direction.

How are you feeling now:
Right this min. I'm more and more depressed each day. I don't talk to my parents. Get no sleep bc I keeping having dreams about the rape. I'm unhappy and scared. I think about giving up all the time.