Publisher's Synopsis
My deepest desire was to do something fulfilling with my life since I was a child. This desire came from all the devastation I witnessed. Then, I came across a Zen proverb, "May we exist like the lotus at ease in muddy water." My childhood was like slopping through mud but where was my lotus? The more I remembered of my youth the more horrified I became. I was waking up from a terrifying nightmare. I knew I needed help but what or who could help me? In my fervor I recognized that I was being as hard on myself as those who had harmed me. How could I exist at ease as a beautiful lotus flower in the midst of all this muck which continued to envelop me no matter how hard I pushed to get out? The immediate answer to that question was to begin writing my story. It is contained in the following pages. As I wrote I realized that it was my desire to heal my own deep wounds and thereby being of service to others. Fortunately, I had many normal childhood experiences. The uniqueness lies in the travesty of abuse and disregard for human life that daily filled my youth. The fact that it was perpetrated over many years by my parents and forced upon me and my siblings is, to this day, beyond my comprehension. However, I didn't write this for comprehension, mine or anyone else's, I wrote this for healing and transformation. I choose to share my intense family story and continue to transform my life into the lotus.I began to write my story as a single mother in my mid-thirties with 3 children having the goal in mind to not pass this down to my kids. When I wasn't talking to a professional, reading a self-help book, or attending spiritual meetings in order to free my soul I was trying to live a normal life and give my kids a normal life. I just wanted to be sane. As I wrote, I became certain of one thing. I needed to know the details and the facts as a gateway to transformation and forgiveness. I needed the truth of my experiences and a release from my story. Then I could offer service to others as I continue to heal.So here is my story and process in chronological order. I welcome you on my path of rising and blooming above the murk and finding my lotus. Sherrie Gerry, CMHC, MS, has added her psychological insights creating a very educational piece. WARNING! This story contains graphic details of my real life story. I experienced domestic violence, sexual abuse, prostitution and ritual murder of children and adults. In this book I go into the details of my life. It's in the details that I have found healing. This book is meant to be a workbook also and is an in-depth study of abuse, mental illness and living with psychopathic parents. There are a total of eight books, with 190 murder cases, most that I witnessed, which lead up to my present day life. I invite you stay with me to hear of the gifts in all this abuse. I survived and am writing this book to show there is hope to be able to thrive.
