Our Side of the Story

Another let’s catch up sesh, ask away @DebbieTesfaye.

Happy Saturday <3

Someone said “I don’t know how to exist” and I wonder how many of us felt this. Don’t you just have days where your routines don’t seem to work out and there’s no pattern to follow and you just sit there confused? Like you have to remind yourself how breathing works and how it’s necessary for you and all?

እንደ ምክር ሊሰማችሁ የፈለገውን ሁሉ እንዲሰማችሁ ፍቀዱለት:: ስሜቶቻችንን ማስተናገድ ተስፋ መቁረጥም መኖርን መጥላትም አይደለም እሺ?

🖤🖤🖤

Passing through one of the hardest times in my life watching everything በድንግዝግዝ not sure which step to take next or if that next breath is possible, there is only one thing clear. God. And the love that has made its home in my heart. And everything that comes with him. Its a choice between the troubles that pass with the day and the ONE who doesn't. እየጣርኩ ነው።እያለፈ ነው።ለዚ እስትንፋሴ ይህን ያክል ዋጋ ከፍዬበት ማቋረጥ ይደክማል

To new beginnings🖤

Forever grateful for you people🤗🖤

"አይደክምም?" "ምኑ?" "ዛሬን መኖር ለነገ ደግሞ ማቀድ...ነገ ሲደርስ ደግሞ መልሶ መኖር:: በመኖር መሃል አለመኖር ቢኖር ጥሩ ነበር...ትንሽ ብናርፍ...ትንሽ ባናስብ...ትንሽ ባንተነፍስ"

One thing that’s absolutely frustrating about understanding mental illness and advocating for mental health is seeing grown ups struggle with it and not being able to do anything about it. They think they’re just having random responses to the difficulties of life but the symptoms are there. It pains me that I know how they can be given help but don’t know how to approach them or bring the issue into attention.

Also try to have someone walk you out if you’re going out early or pick you up if you’re staying late. And by late I mean past 12:00 local time.

As uncomfortable as this is to read almost most women have experienced this, myself included. I’ve had the unfortunate chances of being catcalled numerous times, in different cities. It gets more disgusting and terrifying every time. “What was she wearing? It must have showed some skin to get him riled up.” Every assault I’ve heard of has literally nothing to do with her clothes but the animalistic behavior of satisfying his needs with no sense of humanity or whatsoever. “What was she doing outside at that hour?” Imagine being scared to work late or go out early because of a potential assault? And mentally preparing yourself how you’d escape or defend yourself if a man comes at you with force. “She must have gave him an attitude.” There’s this problem of accepting rejection most abusers have, taking a “No” as a form of defeat and reacting in the name of defending his pride. I’ve had to face this same circumstance a few days ago. “ስልክሽን ስጪኝ" he blocks my way and steps closer, I back away and mentally think of what I would have to do if he gets physical. “አልሰጥህም" I try to walk past him but he doesn’t budge, even more crowding my space and trying to convince me. “ለመተዋወቅ እኮ ነው ማማ" I don’t say a word still trying to move away. After he said so many uncomfortable things that I won’t put here he backed away with “አስቀያሚ" Think of how disturbing it is to start one’s day like this only to have it end with the same encounter at night. I was walking home, around 7:30 pm when this guy sneaks up behind me out of nowhere and tries to make a conversation. I don’t indulge in the conversation except for a few hmms and eshis here an there. He takes out his phone “እና ቁጥርሽን አትፅፊያትም" "አይ" "ለምን? የፈጣሪ ፍቃድ ይሆናል እኮ" "ምኑ?" "መገናኘታችን ነዋ! ወይ ባል እሆናለሁ ወይ ወንድም እሆናለሁ" Not responding I walk faster into the route that takes to my house, he comes up front and blocks my way. It’s pitch dark and I couldn’t see any passerby’s. The only weapon I had on me was my umbrella and as a man he’s far stronger than me. Prayer was my only choice. “ስጪኝ እና ደስ ብሎኝ ልሂድ ባርች በማርያም እ? እስኪ ደስ እንዲለኝ ብለሽ" I almost caved in and gave him so he’d leave me alone and I’d make it home in one piece. But I declined, he begged more. I still declined and he left. As soon as he backed away my instinct was to check behind me, if he’s following me or not. This is what every woman experiences at least once a day. The world is a scary place, assaults and victims are downplayed. A final note; please learn how to defend yourself.