Due to personal reasons, I’ve been up since 1.15 this morning. My morning (work hours) consisted of three interviews with people affected by child sexual assault. I returned to my office to 6 calls waiting for me. Two were from the Criminal Investigation Bureau about historical sexual assault cases I’ve had involvement with over the years, one was from a Child Care Centre wanting some Protective Behavior Training, one was from the tax office (oh cringe – how I didn’t want to ring them back!) and two were from existing clients. Even the tax office was sexual assault related because that’s how I earn my income. Ummmm…too much sexual assault for me today. I have but one client left to see and then I’m going straight to bed!
My husband has also had the same amount of waking hours as I have today and he snuck home for a power nap at lunchtime. I was mean and nasty. I told him I don’t want to work anymore, I want to do scrap booking all day and walk in the Botanical gardens after school is out.
He laughed and told me to go back to work!! On my way to the office, I decided that I’m going to become a recipe writer when I grow up. I drool over Catherine’s and Libby’s recipes and dream of having the energy to make those delectable necessities.
That’s when it hit me. I am already a recipe writer: a recipe ghostwriter. Cool – I must be grown up already! In the background, as a support for people affected by sexual assault, I assist others to present their new life recipe to the world. I help turn their charred meal into a delectable feast.
Still not sated by my redefined career, I opted to search for recipes of mental health. Several recipes for enchantment came up but they are not quite the ingredients I was looking for today. My mental health is generally fine, I do suffer the odd time where a mental health day is warranted, but what I need more than anything else is a slice of change: a sweet hit to keep my mental health buoyant for the rest of the day. A tasty life morsel to provide a slice of change in my negative thinking, physical fatigue and crumbling emotional state.
So…instead of throwing a challenge to you today dear reader, I accept a challenge myself: to develop, test and market a Recipe for a Slice of Change. Watch this spot, it will be baked and served in no time.
Now, the icing on my cake will be for you to knead your support into ending sexual violence against women and children. This Sexual Violence Awareness Month we are trialing a new recipe for Reclaim and Take Back the Night. If you would like to add a little sweetener to a sour world of abuse, please leave a supportive message on either of the two emarches:
Reclaim the Night: An Electronic March for Women
Calling Non-Violent Men to Reclaim the Knight