The colors we celebrate

Fall is about colors. Red, orange, yellow and golden are splashed everywhere! But you will also see lots of pink and purple. Everyone knows that pink is for breast cancer awareness and I just read today that my aunt is 10 years since she beat cancer !!!! Aunt Pam if you are reading this, you are amazingly strong and we are so blessed to call you ours. She, along with so many others, have fought and fight bravely to beat such a horrible disease and we need to do all we can to support them because CANCER SUCKS. Every cancer has it’s own color ribbon to help bring awareness and support to those fighting, but did you know Domestic Violence Awareness has a ribbon and shares an awareness month with Breast Cancer Awareness?? Funny that a these two should share a month when they effect mostly women and are both so deadly. I had no idea as I was going through the abuse or even when I got out of my relationship that this kind of national support existed. I was only made aware of it after the shelter that helped save me asked me to speak at their candle light vigil for the first time and I received my first purple ribbon. I was so honored and terrified at the same time. As you might guess there aren’t a lot of women who leave their abuser and are able to share their story, so I got to do a lot of speaking engagements and fundraisers to help share awareness. Some people believe that this is only a problem that effects lower class and minority groups. But I am here to tell you I came from a middle class, white Christian home and it still got to me. I have met women from all social classes and races that have been tortured, manipulated and abused for no reason other than their significant other has an evil inside of them. An abuser does not care where you come from or how much money you make, they find a weakness (which we all have in one way or another. It is not your fault!) and they extort it for their own benefit and power. When in all actuality the abuser is the weakest person. Grrrrrr!!! I get so fired up and got off on a little tangent there but let’s bring it back to my point. My point is when you see a purple ribbon think of them. Think of the men, (yes they are effected too), women and children who live each day in fear, just trying to make it to the next day. 

    The purple ribbon should serve as a reminder to be aware. I cannot stress enough how important it can be to listen to your gut. If you are dating someone and it feels just a little off, listen to that. If you know someone and as you watch their relationship, you see signs that make your alarm bells go off, listen to that. God created us all with instincts and we far too often brush them off and ignore them. When you see the purple ribbon use it as a chance to stop and pray for those who woke up again next to the man that beat them last night and said he was sorry and it would never happen again, for the 100th time. She needs hope. She needs prayer warriors and guardian angels to love her and fight for her when she cannot. Speak up and show them compassion and grace. They did not ask for this. 

     This post is short a sweet, mainly because I only had a few minutes in my “fringe hours” before I have to go preg check cows and fix corrals. But also because I want it to slap you in the face and make you remember it. This is a silent killer of women and children because it is considered tabu and shouldn’t be mentioned. But it is real and it is terrifying. So as we celebrate the fight to end breast cancer let’s celebrate the women who have gotten free and remember those who did not. 

     If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship reach out to the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.