“WHERE THERE’S LIFE, THERE’S HOPE!”
|| By TAYLOR BROWN || A few months ago I wrote a column that was extremely difficult to write, let alone have published. I’ve thought back on that post quite a bit. This week, however, it was all I could think about.
It’s been two years since I survived my attack and rape in Madrid, and this is the first time ever that I’ve ever been able to use the word “rape” to describe what happened to me. It’s been a hard two years—full of mistakes and successes. I continue everyday trying to be better than I was the day before. I often fail—more so than I would care to admit. However, all of my missteps and mistakes seem so silly, so insignificant, because I know my life could easily have ended seven hundred and thirty days ago.
Seven hundred and thirty days ago, I changed – I would never again be the same person I was seven hundred and thirty-one days ago, but isn’t that part of life?
Adapting to change in whatever form it comes in? It took me a long time to open up publicly about what happened to me, but when I did, I found a weird sort of peace.
Opening up about my most traumatic experience made it no longer just my experience, but rather any survivors’ story. Back in November I wrote that my story isn’t any different or more special than “what countless other women have been through or shared. But perhaps because my story isn’t special you’ll realize that what you say or do to women who have gone through this … does make a difference.”
I am extremely lucky to have survived my ordeal …
… and I thank God every single day for allowing me to leave only with a broken foot, bruises, and gashes, but my life intact. I would be lying to you if I said that there aren’t days that I wish I hadn’t, but, as Tolkien wrote, “The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.”
I am thankful for every sunrise and every sunset. I am thankful for every friend who has held me while I cried. I am thankful for a family who is always there for me. I am thankful for seven hundred and thirty days of memories and cherished moments that I’ve been able to share with my loved ones.
I look forward to the days coming that my Creator gives to me, and I remember now, as ever, “Where there’s life there’s hope!”
TAYLOR BROWN is a 20-something Wofford College graduate who somehow got sucked into politics at an early age. She is easily won over with Rush’s fast food, wine, and spirited political arguments.
13 comments
Sweet Jesus Taylor. So sorry bout that. God is indeed good and will give you the strength to heal from this.
The Grace you demonstrate by sharing your story will help others.
That’s awful that you had to go through that.
Well said, Taylor, and my thoughts are with you. Your photo is on my PC today…
“Dum Spiro Spero,”
Damn – beat me to it so I’ll offer the translation: “While I Breathe I Hope”
Godspeed young lady, you’ve endured and overcome more in 20 some years than many will in a lifetime.
Taylor, i cant even imagine how traumatic that must have been. What would you say to the people who cheapen the word. Like the UVA false rape story published by Rolling Stone, Or the 13 highschool girls who conspired on facebook to falsely accuse someone of rape because they watched “John Tucker Must Die”, or Fem-Nazis who claim they were “eye raped” because someone looked at them.
What can we do to make sure that people dont stop treating rape as a serious crime because of new wave feminism
“What can we do to make sure that people dont stop treating rape as a serious crime because of new wave feminism”
New wave feminism? How about good old boy ignorance? So you pull out a few isolated incidents and talk about “eye raped” and Fem-Nazis in response to this deeply personal and moving article that Taylor penned? You should have posted nothing. Seriously.
Only an insensitive asshole would use a story like this to push their own political agenda.
Taylor, keep doing what you are doing. Talk about it. Ask for help. As a fellow survivor, I can only say that, in my case at least, it does get easier. It never, ever goes away, but it doesn’t knock you down as often or for as long. Sending prayers of peace.
God bless you, Taylor.
Thanks for sharing your story. Hope justice was served with your attacker.
Excerpt from “Mississippi” (Bob Dylan)
————-
But my heart is not weary, it’s light and it’s free
I’ve got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me