Since I took a full time job again, I have had little time to really work much with Linda. What spare time I have had, has been spent writing a new play. We are calling it, “Drifted off to Sleep.” It is Lisa’s story with all of the heartache, disappointments and plain talk. We have been so blessed to be able to work with David Barker. He is our coach, friend, director and provides us with sage advice as we work through the story to be told. David is Theater Professor at the Herberger College of Theater at ASU and has been a fabulous resource to us in the writing and preparing of the story.
If you ever have an opportunity to see his one man play, entitled “Dodging Bullets”, DO NOT MISS THE CHANCE TO SEE IT. Linda went to see it and drug me back a week later. I didn’t want to go! I have never been so riveted to any show, as I was that one. What a story and what a performance!
With “Drifted Off to Sleep”, all parts will be played by Linda and me and we are excited to have the opportunity to tell the story. Hopefully, we can help others understand and be aware of the dangers of Domestic Violence. We want to make people aware of how to help victims of Domestic Violence get to safety..
If you ever have an opportunity to see his one man play, entitled “Dodging Bullets”, DO NOT MISS THE CHANCE TO SEE IT. Linda went to see it and drug me back a week later. I didn’t want to go! I have never been so riveted to any show, as I was that one. What a story and what a performance!
With “Drifted Off to Sleep”, all parts will be played by Linda and me and we are excited to have the opportunity to tell the story. Hopefully, we can help others understand and be aware of the dangers of Domestic Violence. We want to make people aware of how to help victims of Domestic Violence get to safety..
More to come as we progress!
Linda and I were able to do a presentation at the Yuma Arizona Prison on Thursday. We always come away from those presentations feeling that we have really made a difference in individual's lives. They are always saddened by Lisa’s story and angered by the circumstances. In this session, one inmat
e was persistent in pursuing the question, “How can you really help the victim?”. Linda explained that, "There are men and women abusers, and for this example we are talking about Lisa, so we would be saying 'she'." With answers from the other inmates we fleshed out the reasons she doesn’t leave.
1) She doesn’t know how to get out
2) She is afraid
3) She doesn’t have the resources to get out.
4) She loves the abuser.
Then we explained how people could help her plan for getting out, by putting money aside for that purpose and giving it to a friend to hold. Make arrangements to have a place to stay for a short while. Have clothes stashed away from the house, so when she wanted to get out she had the resources.
We explained that by planning, getting a team together and having the resources the victim gains the courage to actually get out.
We could see the light come on and understand how all of the victim's resistance would dissolve with proper planning. It was fun to see them, one by one say, "Oh yeah she has her own plan and can go when the time is right.”
We hope to continue to have these experiences at the prisons.
Linda and I were able to do a presentation at the Yuma Arizona Prison on Thursday. We always come away from those presentations feeling that we have really made a difference in individual's lives. They are always saddened by Lisa’s story and angered by the circumstances. In this session, one inmat
e was persistent in pursuing the question, “How can you really help the victim?”. Linda explained that, "There are men and women abusers, and for this example we are talking about Lisa, so we would be saying 'she'." With answers from the other inmates we fleshed out the reasons she doesn’t leave.1) She doesn’t know how to get out
2) She is afraid
3) She doesn’t have the resources to get out.
4) She loves the abuser.
Then we explained how people could help her plan for getting out, by putting money aside for that purpose and giving it to a friend to hold. Make arrangements to have a place to stay for a short while. Have clothes stashed away from the house, so when she wanted to get out she had the resources.
We explained that by planning, getting a team together and having the resources the victim gains the courage to actually get out.
We could see the light come on and understand how all of the victim's resistance would dissolve with proper planning. It was fun to see them, one by one say, "Oh yeah she has her own plan and can go when the time is right.”
We hope to continue to have these experiences at the prisons.
John says: In the words of George Carlin “ Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath."
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