Debbie Myers: A Story About Respect
Introduction My name is Debbie Myers. I’m also an evangelist. My title is Evangelist Virtuous Debbie Myers. I am a member of the Atlah Worldwide Ministries Church. We’re located in Manhattan. I said I would talk about respect because sometimes people want respect, but they don’t give it. Growing Up and Early Lessons I’m 68 […]
Carol-Trust the Unfolding
The Beginning I first came to Shalom in 1977. My therapist suggested a retreat at Kirkridge led by protégés of Jerry and Elizabeth, and something in me responded immediately. At the time, my life was unraveling. My husband and I were in the painful process of divorcing. Looking back, “painful” hardly seems like a strong […]
The Rest of the Story
The Rest of the Story When I was growing up, my parents loved listening to The Paul Harvey Show on the radio. One of his most popular segments was called And Now You Know… Each story would begin with a familiar event, person, or commonly accepted belief. Then Harvey would reveal little-known details, unexpected twists, […]
The Smallwood Armadillo
Armadillo Medicine Recently, armadillo medicine was introduced to me when I pulled the card from an oracle deck that I use for guidance. An armadillo wears its armor on its back. Its protection is not something it carries; it is part of its body. Its boundaries of safety are woven into its very being. This […]
What the Painting Awakened
The Painting I first encountered The Meeting on the Turret Stairs while scrolling through Facebook. Something about it stopped me. I couldn’t have told you why at first. I only knew I felt something. Longing. I felt it in my body and in my soul. The painting spoke to me. It drew me in. I […]
Deep Dive
A River Runs Through It There’s a scene in A River Runs Through It that has stayed with me for years. Not because I’m a fly fisherwoman. I’m not. But because the river in that story feels like life itself. Always moving. Always changing. Always carrying us somewhere. The older I get, the more I […]
That’s Not True
I No Longer Soften the Truth “And the biggest difference between then and now is this: I no longer soften the truth. Not for other people. And not for myself.” One of the things sexual assault steals is trust. Not just trust in other people. Trust in yourself. Trust in what you know. Trust in […]
Craig-45 Years of Shalom
Finding Shalom I started going to Shalom in 1980, and looking back, I can honestly say it was one of the most important decisions of my life. At the time, I was 32 years old and, by my own description, shut down. My mother had died when I was in high school, and I pretty […]
Faye-I Am, I Can, I Will!
The Beginning John Bottone and I were married for 20 years, and we have two wonderful daughters. We remain quite close. I read his story, and I thought, I have a story to tell too! My experience with Jerry and with the Mountain transformed me. Still Connected I haven’t been up to Shalom in a […]
Always Realizing Something
Emily-77 Always Realizing Something If I had to name the way I move through life, I think I would borrow the words of my grandson Lucas. He looked right at me, completely present, completely alive, and said,“Gaga, I’m always realizing something.” And I remember stopping. Really stopping. Because something in me recognized itself in that. […]