Time's Up, Indeed

We all sat glued to the TV last night.  It was Golden Globes night—normally a silly, not-deep-thinking-night where we guess wrong winners and say things like, "I thought that guy died two years ago?!?!."  

Last night was different.  It was moving and empowering. 

I will never forget watching Oprah change lives last night, mine included. With tears streaming down my face, I felt such a sense of power and unity.  I tried to hold back the water works but it was no use.  I thought of my journey as a childhood sexual abuse survivor and my experience as an adult, dealing with emotional abuse by yet another predator.  I thought of my dear friend who is going through a horrible divorce from a sadistically smart, terribly abusive man, and how she said to me the other day, "Someday soon let’s figure out how NO other woman has to figure this out alone. I have you, I’m lucky."

I cried some more. 

I will never forget looking over at my husband, who was also in tears as he watched Oprah say the words, "when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of maginificent women, and some phenomenal men, fighting hard to make sure that you become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say "Me too," again."

And I cried some more. I'm so proud of him for weathering the storm with me, and understanding the depth of pain and fear involved in coming to grips with abuse and the shame that comes with it.  Not just the pain of what I experienced, but in telling my story openly to the world and what that means in terms of inviting retaliation, judgment, and further abuse and harrassment. He is one of those phenomenal men who will walk arm-and-arm with us into a better future and I am forever grateful for his grace and unconditional love. 

Time is truly up. It's been up for decades but finally, we are banding together in a way we haven't experienced in our lives to date. 

We've got this. We can do it!  We can be vulnerable and open, and share what it means to have endured and survived abuse, and gone on to thrive.

We've got this.  For ourselves. For our children.  For generations to come.  

As Oprah said, "What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have."

Thank you, Oprah.  And thank you to all of the brave women and men who continue to speak their truth. 

Time's up, indeed.