Last week, I made the bold decision to unveil charpage to the general public. The primary motivation behind this move was a realization that I no longer wished to conceal myself. I’ve come to understand that there’s nothing for me to be ashamed of, despite a significant portion of my life being dedicated to keeping secrets.
While I haven’t chosen to completely open up, I will still keep certain thoughts and feelings reserved for either myself or those who have invested in my journey. Through my platform, I hope that anyone who stumbles upon it can, at the very least, identify with aspects of their own life journey and realize they are not alone.
I laugh at my definition of going “public,” which was essentially involved adding www.charpage on my Facebook profile. Taking this one step at a time, I acknowledge that a journey begins with a single step, much like eating an elephant bite by bite.
As I write this brief post, a sense of peace envelops me, accompanied by a newfound confidence. I am establishing boundaries and refusing to let others’ judgments crush me. Recognizing my own worth, I am uninterested in others’ opinions of me. There’s no need for anonymity; I am a survivor. Although I may still grapple with trust issues and interpersonal relationships, those who love me understand and support my development into the person I want to be. I think I now understand M. Scott Peck’s definition of love – “The will to extend one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth.”