Holiday letter to Yellow Brick House
Published: December 10th, 2009
I arrived at the shelter like a casualty of war – alone, afraid and displaced. We were welcomed and directed to a large clean room. As we settled in with our few possessions a feeling of peace came over me and the children sensed it too. We were safe; we had a safe haven, a place to think clearly. As the days passed, hope began to permeate in our lives, drowning out the shame to dissipate. With each new day there were new problems. There was so much work to be done to pull myself out of the abyss. For the first time in my life, I was not alone. I had the shelter workers to share every obstacle and triumph. They were there to listen to me and help me sort and prioritize, even late into the night when fear would overtake my sleep. Through their loving support and care, I was able to regain a sense of self-worth and empowerment and once again the children were to benefit.
Day by day, I became stronger and with the help received at the shelter I was able to put my life back together one piece at a time.
Now I have safe, affordable housing, my children are protected with the Family Law System, and normalcy has returned to our lives.
For me, the gratitude goes beyond the residency, to the volunteers and the strangers. At Christmas, we were given food and gifts that compelled my daughter to stop playing with her toys before lunch and make me a card. The card read “Dear Mommy, this is the best Christmas ever. Thank you.” This card was not solely for me but for all those who opened their hearts and gave because without everyone working collectively for the betterment of my family, there would be no smiles on Christmas morning.