Let the voices be heard: shattering silence of violence

April 1 marks the beginning of National Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Having long dealt with and educated myself about the effects of sexual violence and assault I am asking each of you to please take a moment and consider supporting my endeavors in shattering the silence of sexual violence.

According to the CDC, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused in the United States. These crimes are extremely prevalent, but shrouded in silence and shame. Every person knows someone who has been affected by sexual assault, but the majority of folks will never even know it! It is up to us to be the voice for everyone who has been silenced by violence!

I have taken it upon myself to organize Los Angeles' walk of solidarity with the nonprofit organization PAVE: Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment

Each city (there are currently 6 participating cities nationwide with more being being added) has a goal of $12,250.00 Please support me in speaking out about this epidemic that affects all of us and those that we know and love. Please Donate now anything is greatly appreciated.

If you are in the Los Angeles area and would like to participate and walk please contact me: hssheldon at gmail dot com

Wind on my shoulder

It's curious, the amount of influence certain people have in our lives. The way they come and go as the wind does--as it wishes, but without really knowing why? It seems like coincidence. The timing sometimes is perfect, as if meant to be. I feel a rush of trust and love, perhaps even a misattribution of attraction. I love wholly and fast. It is scary. Even with my closest friends, sometimes my trust and vulnerability scares me. I can be so afraid of the hurt I open myself up for. I am unfortunately anxiety ridden; I am one of those people who panic when someone doesn't show up on time--not because I am angry, but because I have the worst case scenarios running like race horses through my mind: hit by a train, robbed, murdered, found out someone died, had a heart attack, hit by a moose/deer, what if they had an appendicitis while driving? SARS? H1N1 (swine) flu? An unknown viral infection that makes you disappear and never be heard from again...what if you leave me and I don't have a reason? What if, I am left all alone? What if I get made a fool of, again. What if...my mind plays these tricks on itself and I wish that it wouldn't. I am reading a book right now (one of far too many, or so I think people would say) called Crucial Conversations a book that talks about not letting your emotions dictate your actions but, understanding where they are coming from and using that knowledge to have better communication and compassion. I don't really know where I am going with all of this--I know I am looking for something, I just don't know what. I want my words to spill forth unto this computer screen with answers for me. Why won't my words speak to me the universe's answers? Or, are they right here in front of me?