The power of sharing
Last year in September when speaking at the Protest the Pope rally in London, in October at the 1st Annual Meeting of Survivors in Rome, at the event of our launch in London in March this year, when attending the Annual Meeting in May of our Italian family, La Colpa, in July when attending in support of the Provolo group in Verona, in September at the Secular Europe Campaign in London…every time I came back energised, revived, even more committed and assured that we are on the right path.
Meeting all these beautiful persons reaching out with their warmth, support, compassion and, yes how surprising it may sound, also humour! All committed to stand together and to take up the fight against injustice. Connecting has never been easier than with these people who share the same passion for other human beings. All unique maybe, but all with the same openness of heart and celebrating our uniqueness and togetherness.
My new Survivors family, ever growing bigger…all those there present in person or in our minds and hearts. I wanted it never to end!
When we launched Survivors Voice Europe in London in March, I wanted everyone who had been in Rome to be there, to feel our hope and determination. Then again when we went back to Rome to attend the meeting of La Colpa, I wanted so much that everyone from the launch in London could be there too! Marching with the people of the Provolo Institute in Verona, I wished everyone I had met that year to be there. And when I came home, I wanted to take them all with me!
Ton and I were in London again in September, to march and speak at the Secular Europe Rally, and I felt I was speaking for everyone of my new family of Survivors who could not be there. And that made me strong…and my words came out just right!
And now we go back to Rome, this time to celebrate our survival with as many of you that can possibly make it, and knowing how life changing last year’s event was for me and the others, I simply can’t wait.
We want to have every one of you with us! But know from your messages that many of you would really love to come, but simply can’t get there for many reasons. So somehow I wanted to make sure that I could get you all there in some way.
Last October when we met in Rome we all took with us a stone or a pebble from our homes, some with our names on, or a message, and we placed them in vatican square. Of course, it didn’t take very long for them to be swept away! But I know that they are still there in Rome! Even if they have swept them out of sight!
I imagined my suitcase full of your stones, but realised that I wouldn’t get very far, so I thought perhaps you would like to send a message, then I could print each one out, put each in an envelope, and place them for you in the vatican square. It would be a privilege for me to take them for you, and I would feel as if you were coming with us. We will post photographs of them so you can see where they went!
Also I know there are many who can’t come but would love to meet and connect with everyone else, so perhaps if we could get you to put your names on a list, with a few words about where you are from, then we could read them out at the Survivors meeting and you can feel that we are taking you with us there too. I promise you: we will be thinking of every one of you.
Party with us! In your homes or with your friends. Light a candle when we are lighting them in Rome. Write us a message how you will be celebrating your life while we are in Rome. Send us pictures of your own personal celebration and we will place them on the website after the event.
We wish to connect with you even if we can’t all be together.
My beautiful friend Helen McGonigle from USA who suffered horrendous abuses at the hands of Brendan Smyth, reminded me that when we are celebrating our lives saved, we should also not forget those who didn’t make it, like her sister who’s betrayal was too great a burden, and who died. For many the opportunity to be in Rome together and strong and getting stronger will never happen, because their abuses ended their lives too soon. Tell me their names, let me take them to that place and honour them all.
My hope is that next year we can get even more of you together, but in the mean time we will take you there in our hearts and with your messages.
With Love Sue
To send a message e-mail me at: sue.cox@survivorsvoice-europe.org
