Shannon's guest blog: "Genital herpes stigma as an opportunity to help"

Something fascinating is happening to me ... There's a small seed inside of me. It's pushing for more attention daily. Changing, growing, morphing. It's always been there, really, but never nurtured. I've been in therapy most of my life trying to coax the seed to gain roots and prosper. In the end, I think I was afraid to make real changes in my life to love myself and be happy because being a victim and sad all the time was easier. Real growth takes work and dedication. So the seed of my inner strength lay stagnant ...

Here's the rest of Shannon's blog post on Herpes Life:

http://herpeslife.com/genital-herpes-stigma-as-an-opportunity-to-help

Shannon, this article really hit me in a beautiful way. So beautiful to read how your seed is growing. Sounds like all it needed was some nourishing water and sunshine to burst up out of the ground! So excited to be on this journey with you! And thanks for the shoutout in the article! Much love and big hugs. :)

I am so glad I read this this morning. I can relate so much. I have struggled my whole life with depression and self esteem I feel like this is it for me it's time to love myself completely and work on me and stop avoiding the work I need to do and just face myself. It's time to grow strong. I can relate to so much. I am glad to know someone else has felt like I felt. Thank you.

domh21, that makes me very happy and totally worth writing this. My goal was to make someone else feel better because then I feel better. So, thank YOU!

Beautifully expressed Shannon, I was touched deeply reading your post. This is the opportunity we have with H. Our distress brings our feelings so up to the surface that we can see them and feel them clearly, sometimes for the first time. Embracing it as our vehicle for growth and contribution to others is such a big pathway to take, looking beyond our own misery takes courage and vision. Thankyou for sharing yourself so vulnerably, and for being the stand that others especially our children, won't be caught out by ignorance as many of us were.

Shannon, great article and beautiful insights of your tenderheart. As a fellow Christian, I'm going through the same phases, feeling God is punishing me for my wrong choice. It is difficult to tell my friends (I didn't even mention to my parents yet because of strict upbring), let alone someone wishes to have a relationship with me. I do feel I'm a damaged goods. Though pushing myself to do different things to fill time with going back to school, helping friends, churches, I still have deep fear to tell someone close. My last relationship ended because of this. Now there is this great person, but I just want to turn him down, be detached or indifferent. We're all looking for great love, happiness. With divorce rate as it is nowadays, what's the road ahead? What should I do? Be strong all the time is challenging. I try to draw it from scripture but everytime tears instead. What to do??

Hi NewOne, drawing from your belief in God will help you. Keep doing that. I don't practice organized Christianity anymore but I believe in God, Bible, teachings etc. I don't believe God is punishing us anymore. It's the same as someone getting cancer. Ours just happens to be related to sex. I've told many people now, including many men and most react the same way, "no big deal, I'd still have sex with you". I was surprised at first but now I'm finding that if I frame it in a way that doesn't sound like it's the end of the world, the reactions are different. And once you tell, it gets easier and easier. Just remember that you are still you. Nothing has changed except how you feel. You don't have to be strong all of the time. When you're down, just remember you have to come back up again, you can't stay there. We're all going to be fine once the shock wears off. Since you are a Christian, remember there is a plan and a purpose for your life. :-)