A week after returning home from the trial I had another dream of my Aunt.
We were having a family dinner out at a restaurant. Everything felt comfortable and familiar. I was home in Sonoma County, everyone in the family was there, we were having a good time. I was seated next to my Aunt and near my Grandma (her mother, who died the year before my Aunt Robin did). We were talking, I was so happy and thought to myself that I never thought I would get to have moments like this again... and I realized I must be dreaming. The look on my Aunty's face told me I was right, I was dreaming, and I burst into tears and hugged her tightly. She cried too. All the grief I've felt over the years came out and I sobbed.
Once I caught my breath we talked. I don't remember what was said but the emotions passing back and forth were ones of sorrow and grief and anger and love -- that weird mix of things when someone is taken away from you, that mix of things that chokes your throat and is kind of impossible to find the words for. And I got back from her sadness, that she missed us, missed being alive, but also that she was OK. She felt peaceful, and light; she wasn't weighed down by all this shit anymore. She'd figured some things out, and was happy.
Dinner was over and we got up to walk out, still talking. Now we were talking happily, but again it was more feelings passing between us and I don't remember the words. She took my Grandma's hand, and loving feelings passed between all of us as we walked out of the restaurant chatting together. The doors opened into blinding daylight and the dream was over.
This time when I woke up all I felt was joy. We had told each other the things we needed to. It was OK. For the first time since I lost her, I think, I felt like it would actually be ok -- that healing would actually be possible. I felt connected to her again.
My Grandma has visited me since she died, but Robin never had. Not until these couple of weeks. I'm so grateful for both visits, because I think the first made the second possible, and paired together they are honest to my experience of this horrible thing that happened. It's been almost a month and while various feelings have come up, I have felt more at peace about things than I did over the last 7 years. It's not over, and I need to not always keep it to myself, but what remains is the sense that healing is possible, and is happening. My ancestors are with me, even when I can't feel them, and for that I am incredibly grateful.
As I look at next week, and the final sentencing hearing, I hope I close the door on David Frostick and use all I've been through productively in my life. He's ruled more of my life than I ever wanted. That's just a reality. And maybe I'll feel differently if he ever comes up for parole. But for now, I want that to come to an ending. He is a vampire, siphoning the life off of those around him, and I don't need to feed him anymore. He can take back everything that's his. I'm keeping what's mine, and that's my Aunt, my family and my future.
We were having a family dinner out at a restaurant. Everything felt comfortable and familiar. I was home in Sonoma County, everyone in the family was there, we were having a good time. I was seated next to my Aunt and near my Grandma (her mother, who died the year before my Aunt Robin did). We were talking, I was so happy and thought to myself that I never thought I would get to have moments like this again... and I realized I must be dreaming. The look on my Aunty's face told me I was right, I was dreaming, and I burst into tears and hugged her tightly. She cried too. All the grief I've felt over the years came out and I sobbed.
Once I caught my breath we talked. I don't remember what was said but the emotions passing back and forth were ones of sorrow and grief and anger and love -- that weird mix of things when someone is taken away from you, that mix of things that chokes your throat and is kind of impossible to find the words for. And I got back from her sadness, that she missed us, missed being alive, but also that she was OK. She felt peaceful, and light; she wasn't weighed down by all this shit anymore. She'd figured some things out, and was happy.
Dinner was over and we got up to walk out, still talking. Now we were talking happily, but again it was more feelings passing between us and I don't remember the words. She took my Grandma's hand, and loving feelings passed between all of us as we walked out of the restaurant chatting together. The doors opened into blinding daylight and the dream was over.
This time when I woke up all I felt was joy. We had told each other the things we needed to. It was OK. For the first time since I lost her, I think, I felt like it would actually be ok -- that healing would actually be possible. I felt connected to her again.
My Grandma has visited me since she died, but Robin never had. Not until these couple of weeks. I'm so grateful for both visits, because I think the first made the second possible, and paired together they are honest to my experience of this horrible thing that happened. It's been almost a month and while various feelings have come up, I have felt more at peace about things than I did over the last 7 years. It's not over, and I need to not always keep it to myself, but what remains is the sense that healing is possible, and is happening. My ancestors are with me, even when I can't feel them, and for that I am incredibly grateful.
As I look at next week, and the final sentencing hearing, I hope I close the door on David Frostick and use all I've been through productively in my life. He's ruled more of my life than I ever wanted. That's just a reality. And maybe I'll feel differently if he ever comes up for parole. But for now, I want that to come to an ending. He is a vampire, siphoning the life off of those around him, and I don't need to feed him anymore. He can take back everything that's his. I'm keeping what's mine, and that's my Aunt, my family and my future.
