With permission I share a memory that resurfaced about my youngest son. He was only eight when everything came undone.

It was a new baseball season where people started to notice we came in different cars and didn’t sit or stand near each other. Honest information was floating around and friends didn’t dare ask what was true or not. Most seemed too shocking to even be real.

Thankfully the kids and I were all in the therapy trying to make sense of all the new information and the feelings attached to it as well.

One particularly difficult night for me I sat supportive at my sons game. We won and were headed to the championship yet I could hardly even feel. There had been a sunny rainfall and suddenly a double rainbow appeared. It was like a huge hug from God to me letting me know He was there for us. It snapped me out of my paralyzing funk and I felt love.

At the championship game we lost unexpectedly. My son immediately started crying loudly yelling how it wasn’t fair. Normally I would have approached him and tried to calm him myself but this time I stood frozen.

Quickly the coaches reacted knowing exactly what was happening. My child had so many emotions bottled up that this was his outlet and boy did he let it out.

His three coaches surrounded him and one got on his knees gently cupping his little teary face and called him by name. He repeated he knew this was all so unfair and he knew he was hurting. He promised it was all going to be okay and how loved he was. His coach held his little head in a hug as he wept and calmed down.

There were many spectators crying including myself where my mom heart broke over and over again. But I love my memory of other moms slowly linking arms with mine and closing in behind me as we were all observing and hurting. One mom even validated that his behavior was spot on appropriate for what we were going through.

As painful as this was it reminded me again of how much God loved us. There have been so many others there for us and I am forever thankful. Our lives aren’t what I thought they would be but in ways better than I could’ve expected too.

What unexpected blessings have come your way through the trauma? Do you feel you are able to empathize and be there for others because of what you have been through?

#betrayaltrauma #support #divorce #addiction #hope #healing #rain