Comments on: Safe Places

By: African American Mom

African American Mom — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:31:47 +0000

I am late on this great read. Scratching my head—trying to figure out why the counselor thought the child who was not pregnant needed consoling.

By: Miss Britt

Miss Britt — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:45:19 +0000

“It was clear: girls who get themselves pregnant and are that stupid do NOT deserve compassion. They deserve shame.”

My God, I know this well. And I want so badly to throttle people who perpetuate that fear and belief system.

By: Karen Murphy

Karen Murphy — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:36:56 +0000

Beautiful writing. So glad I came over from Schmutzie. People make the oddest comments sometimes: “I just KNOW I would never [insert judgeable thing here, like having a baby in high school, or giving up custody of one's children]” but of course, they don’t know. No one knows what it’s like being inside the brain and body of someone else. But our experiences, especially the life-altering ones, give us compassion toward someone else’s choices. I’m glad you are finding some semblance of a closing to this particular circle in your life. Again, beautiful.

By: Avitable

Avitable — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:30:48 +0000

After that horrible experience, how you didn’t switch to “all anal, all the time”, I just don’t know.

(hug)

By: she

she — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:08:24 +0000

sorry i’m late in commenting. i found your site a month or so ago and have been hooked ever since!

i am very glad that you’re in a position to compassionately guide teens today. like others have said, you are definitely in the right place!

i had kind of an opposite situation as you. in 8th grade [this was before sex education in schools], my school had an outside group come in to teach our home ec class how to “control our horniness” or something to that effect. in order to participate, you had to have your parents sign a permission slip since it wasn’t a school-affiliated program. i told my mom i wasn’t comfortable with taking that. i didn’t even have my period yet and was a late-bloomer sexually anyway. my mom told my home ec teacher why she wasn’t signing it and my home ec teacher told mom that i would be pregnant by my sophomore year in high school b/c i wasn’t taking the course. well, i safely made it through my soph year without a pregnancy, but i still remember that teacher’s comments. at 13, i was strong enough to choose for myself and knew i wasn’t ready to deal with sex on any level yet. i honestly feel that teachers & guidance counselors are there to support children, not tell them how they’re going to end up.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:10:56 +0000

You’re so good with words that I feel inadequate to express myself to you. You are such a pillar of strength and brave for sharing yourself with the rest of us. You give hope to others who find themselves in difficult situations that you CAN move ahead and be successful. The trying times form you for who you are meant to be and that is one amazing mocha momma! Thank you for inspiring ; )

By: Mocha Momma

Mocha Momma — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 03:29:22 +0000

You know, dear readers, that when I write like this I have to take some time and step away from the computer for a bit. Must clear my head for whatever words come. You did not disappoint and I am, as always, blown away by the support and kindness of anyone who reads this here blog.

I applaud you for taking care of Jane for me because I said what I needed to say. I cannot control how anyone hears it no matter how little.

I especially thank my sister who got right to the heart of the matter in defending my words. I love you, Trayday. I love you for always showing me the example of love.

Humbly, I thank the rest of you.

By: Laura

Laura — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 19:40:52 +0000

I’ve been there, I was you, I was that pregnant girl. Whom was told I couldn’t participate in the Senior night ritual because I was a bad mark on the school.

I am comforted to know that you know exactly where to put those feelings now that you are in the position you are in.

From our first few conversations on Twitter, to the chats about my step daughter on facebook I knew I felt connected to you. Thank you for writing this.

By: Keyona

Keyona — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:03:20 +0000

You are right where you need to be. Bless you heart! )

By: katie

katie — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 08:34:15 +0000

oy indeed.
type, erase, re-write, erase.
try again.
hello beautiful.
you did great.
you are the personification of bravery and givingness.
yeah, that’s a word.
kiss X