THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT DAYS OF YOUR LIFE ARE THE DAY YOU WERE BORN...AND THE DAY YOU FIND OUT WHY.
Texas born and bred.
Love my Mama, but am a complete Daddy's girl. He did hang the moon, after all.
Classy... until football season begins.
Soft-spoken, but if a fire is lit, proceed with caution.
Supporter of equality.
Expert procrastinator.
Believes folding laundry & filling the gas tank are two of the most tedious chores ever.
Could live off of authentic Tex-Mex...or red velvet cupcakes.
Worst Fear: Clowns. Sweaty palms, racing heart, possible ER visit..just to warn you.
Lifelong Dream: Ride in a hot air balloon with someone I love.
The Way to my Heart: lazy afternoons, sweats and control of the remote.
Now that the mushy stuff is out of the way, here comes the tough part. But, you'll never know me completely without this. It's dirty and difficult, but there's a reason for it. Ready..Set..Go.
December 31, 2004 is the day particles collided and created a moment of impact that forever changed my life.
More than ten years later, it all makes sense. This moment of painful and tragic impact is one of the reasons I was born.
I hate the word rape. It makes my stomach turn to even type it out. But, when push comes to shove, that disgusting word describes my moment. It took years of healing to get to a point where I could share my story. About three years ago, I stumbled upon a blog that I now follow religiously. Baron Batch is from my hometown and played football for my dad's alma mater, Texas Tech. So, it's only fitting that I'd feel drawn to his writing when I found it.
The stars were aligned the day I clicked on his blog. Had I not read that day's entry, I may have never realized my potential for change. He wrote about The Ripple Effect, and how sometimes in life, "coincidence" just doesn't make sense. There could quite possibly be a reason for every decision you make, big or small. He inspired me to share my journey, so that night, through many tears and a few glasses of wine, it all spilled out and came to life. I shared it on Facebook the next day, and the weeks following made me realize this small decision to help myself in the healing process was actually helping others to heal.
And so it begins.
I had an intense conversation with my stepbrother a few months ago that caused me to take a step back and really look at my life. I think his exact words were, "Shannon...you don't know how amazing you are. Others see it, but you don't. It's time to quit wasting time and do something awesome." When your little brother has enough courage to say this, there's nothing else to do but start soul searching. So, needless to say, all of this awesomeness is pretty much his fault.
Writing about my journey just didn't seem good enough. I wanted to do more. I knew I was capable of more. I started researching places to volunteer and decided on the local Rape Crisis Center. This small decision has opened my eyes and changed my life in ways I cannot even describe. It is a state requirement to complete a 40-hour course in order to be a volunteer with the program, so I dove right in. There were days I wanted to walk away. There were moments of complete and utter emotional exhaustion. But, there was a reason for it. When the Director of the volunteer program found out I had a story, she immediately asked if I'd be willing to share it. She wanted other volunteers, board members and staff to hear a victim's perspective on healing. I didn't think twice. She asked, and I agreed. Then, I panicked. My close friends and family knew details, of course, but I had never stood in front of a group of strangers and had to relive it. I prepared as best as I could, but when the night came for me to speak, all preparation went out the window. Thankfully. I decided to just let it happen, straight from the heart. And with the feedback I received, I'm so thankful I let my guard down.
It's amazing that one speech...one small decision to share my story...has turned into an abundance of blessings. One painful moment of impact...one day in my history...has led me to my calling. When you finally figure out the path in life that has been mapped out for you, it's as if nothing will stand in your way to journey on.
God has an incredible sense of humor. He has taken a quiet little Southerner that hated high school speech class and literally thrust her into a world that is so uncomfortable...yet so inviting. All it takes is one step to make a difference. If I can change one life by being vulnerable, it's all worth it to me.
With that said, my passion is to help others reach a point of healing, and to be the voice behind this act that is so rarely talked about. It's important for people to realize that it too, can happen to them. Life is about decisions...let's guide our young people to strive to make the right ones. No matter what trial you muddle through, it doesn't have to define who you are. We all have a story. If you aren't ready to openly share it with others, share it with me. If you're interested in bringing me in as a speaker to your organization, contact me. I'd love to be the voice that reaches out.
Someone asked me a few weeks ago what it feels like to be a victim. I paused for several seconds before I answered. "I was a victim ten years ago. Today, I'm a survivor."
And so the journey continues.
Love my Mama, but am a complete Daddy's girl. He did hang the moon, after all.
Classy... until football season begins.
Soft-spoken, but if a fire is lit, proceed with caution.
Supporter of equality.
Expert procrastinator.
Believes folding laundry & filling the gas tank are two of the most tedious chores ever.
Could live off of authentic Tex-Mex...or red velvet cupcakes.
Worst Fear: Clowns. Sweaty palms, racing heart, possible ER visit..just to warn you.
Lifelong Dream: Ride in a hot air balloon with someone I love.
The Way to my Heart: lazy afternoons, sweats and control of the remote.
Now that the mushy stuff is out of the way, here comes the tough part. But, you'll never know me completely without this. It's dirty and difficult, but there's a reason for it. Ready..Set..Go.
December 31, 2004 is the day particles collided and created a moment of impact that forever changed my life.
More than ten years later, it all makes sense. This moment of painful and tragic impact is one of the reasons I was born.
I hate the word rape. It makes my stomach turn to even type it out. But, when push comes to shove, that disgusting word describes my moment. It took years of healing to get to a point where I could share my story. About three years ago, I stumbled upon a blog that I now follow religiously. Baron Batch is from my hometown and played football for my dad's alma mater, Texas Tech. So, it's only fitting that I'd feel drawn to his writing when I found it.
The stars were aligned the day I clicked on his blog. Had I not read that day's entry, I may have never realized my potential for change. He wrote about The Ripple Effect, and how sometimes in life, "coincidence" just doesn't make sense. There could quite possibly be a reason for every decision you make, big or small. He inspired me to share my journey, so that night, through many tears and a few glasses of wine, it all spilled out and came to life. I shared it on Facebook the next day, and the weeks following made me realize this small decision to help myself in the healing process was actually helping others to heal.
And so it begins.
I had an intense conversation with my stepbrother a few months ago that caused me to take a step back and really look at my life. I think his exact words were, "Shannon...you don't know how amazing you are. Others see it, but you don't. It's time to quit wasting time and do something awesome." When your little brother has enough courage to say this, there's nothing else to do but start soul searching. So, needless to say, all of this awesomeness is pretty much his fault.
Writing about my journey just didn't seem good enough. I wanted to do more. I knew I was capable of more. I started researching places to volunteer and decided on the local Rape Crisis Center. This small decision has opened my eyes and changed my life in ways I cannot even describe. It is a state requirement to complete a 40-hour course in order to be a volunteer with the program, so I dove right in. There were days I wanted to walk away. There were moments of complete and utter emotional exhaustion. But, there was a reason for it. When the Director of the volunteer program found out I had a story, she immediately asked if I'd be willing to share it. She wanted other volunteers, board members and staff to hear a victim's perspective on healing. I didn't think twice. She asked, and I agreed. Then, I panicked. My close friends and family knew details, of course, but I had never stood in front of a group of strangers and had to relive it. I prepared as best as I could, but when the night came for me to speak, all preparation went out the window. Thankfully. I decided to just let it happen, straight from the heart. And with the feedback I received, I'm so thankful I let my guard down.
It's amazing that one speech...one small decision to share my story...has turned into an abundance of blessings. One painful moment of impact...one day in my history...has led me to my calling. When you finally figure out the path in life that has been mapped out for you, it's as if nothing will stand in your way to journey on.
God has an incredible sense of humor. He has taken a quiet little Southerner that hated high school speech class and literally thrust her into a world that is so uncomfortable...yet so inviting. All it takes is one step to make a difference. If I can change one life by being vulnerable, it's all worth it to me.
With that said, my passion is to help others reach a point of healing, and to be the voice behind this act that is so rarely talked about. It's important for people to realize that it too, can happen to them. Life is about decisions...let's guide our young people to strive to make the right ones. No matter what trial you muddle through, it doesn't have to define who you are. We all have a story. If you aren't ready to openly share it with others, share it with me. If you're interested in bringing me in as a speaker to your organization, contact me. I'd love to be the voice that reaches out.
Someone asked me a few weeks ago what it feels like to be a victim. I paused for several seconds before I answered. "I was a victim ten years ago. Today, I'm a survivor."
And so the journey continues.