Wow ... what a crazy, nerve-wracking, exciting, anxious, overwhelming couple of days since we launched our big project on Kickstarter. From Rosie O'Donnell tweeting the link to our page (three times!) to Ricki Lake making a donation to a request for a radio interview on a popular morning show to more than $5,000 in pledges thus far ... yep, it's been a crazy, nerve-wracking, exciting, anxious, overwhelming couple of days for sure. Thank you to those of you who are sharing our project and donating so generously to the campaign. Our hope for the film is that it will bring hope and healing to those who have or continue to suffer the devastating effects of abuse.
Though I kept telling myself all day yesterday I was going to bed early last night, I made the mistake of flipping on the news just before 10 p.m. and saw that our area was under a tornado watch until 1 a.m. You all know how I am about tornado watches ... I finally crawled into bed around 1:30 this morning. Want to know what I did for those three and a half hours other than watch the radar? I read emails and Facebook messages ... well ... I read as many as I could anyway ... you wouldn't believe me if I told you how many I get each day. As is always the case these days, some of the notes were nice and some were ... not. Usually when I begin reading a mean or hateful message, I stop reading and click delete pretty quickly. But because I was looking for notes containing feedback about the launch of the documentary, I read way more than I should have last night ... way, way, way more than I should have. It's rare for me to write any sort of response to the hate mail I receive ... perhaps it's because I'm bone tired tonight, but I've got a couple of things I need to get off my chest.
To those who feel the need to repeatedly tell me I'm going to hell because I'm who I am ... I don't need you to tell me where you think I will spend eternity. Believe me when I say I don't need you to tell me that ... would you care to know why? I don't need you to tell me I'm going to hell because I've spent every single day of my life since I was old enough to understand asking God that very question. I don't need you to tell me I'm evil or a perversion in the eyes of God because I struggle with those feelings every time I look in the mirror. I don't need you to quote Scripture to me ... I read my Bible every single day ... more than I ever have in my life. I don't need you to hate me ... I've hated myself far more than you ever could ... and for way longer than you have, by the way.
As to why Nate chose us to tell his story, this is what he wrote on our Kickstarter page ...
"When I met them a few months later in Lawrence, Kansas, and they asked if they could do a documentary about my story, I knew they were the ones who would do it right. Because they get it. When I watched the trailer they’ve created for "Not My Father’s Son," I was reminded again…they get it."
The "it" that we get ... we get what abuse does to people ... we get that living in hiding destroys people ... we get how hate wounds people. We do get it ... we get it in a big way.
I don't need you to remind me how far I have to go, friends ... I need you to remind me how far I've already come.
3 comments:
I'm glad you wrote this and have decided to stand strong against these people who obviously need to do some soul searching. It is not my place to judge them for what they have said but I 100% disagree with them. It is no ones business what interaction takes place between us and God. A relationship with God is between two people. I believe everyone's relationship is uniquely their own. So good for you for telling them to kindly butt out. The people who send you hate mail need to understand that hate is hate. They are no more worthy than anyone else especially those they judge. Their message of hate towards your "sin" is a sin. That's pretty clear.
Sorry, I got a little rant-y but man those messages make me mad. You are great Terrie. Simply that. You are great. You have changed my life.
Jess
Terrie, you're such a strong and beautiful woman. Your acceptance of yourself and ability to love has impacted those around you in such an amazing way [much of it unseen]. Thank you for sharing your journey
As you sift through hate & ignorance... I encourage you, knowing how difficult it may be, to try to remember, often humans fear & hate the unknown, although that doesn't lessen the pain they can cause.
The world will not magically change by morning, but by you sharing your story, by Nate his... it is possible to open the mind and heart of one person at a time.
When you look in the mirror see someone who is loved, who has given hope where it didn't previously exist, who has shown light in a dark place where many have cowered alone & afraid. See an angel who has saved more lives than you could ever count.
In case you missed it when I told you today.... or when I typed it in a response to you earlier... "Love ya Lady!"
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