Strength in adversity

These past few weeks I have been blogging about abuse: abusive relationships, child abuse, abuse of males and females, etc. It’s interesting how this theme keeps coming up for me at the moment. I stated in an earlier blog post that I realised I had been in an abusive relationship, albeit an emotionally abusive one and not physical, but an abusive relationship all the same.

Then, there is my novel “The Soul Bearers”, which centers around the theme of child abuse, among other things. One of the main characters is trying to overcome her childhood memories of abuse and at the same time dealing with panic and her fear of men; but she gets support from the gay couple she shares a house with, and at the same time she and her housemates grow and evolve into stronger people due to the obstacles they must all overcome.

I guess in the face of adversity we either sink or swim. We all know what Nietzche said: “What doesn’t destroy me makes me stronger.” And after more than 8 years of overcoming some very tough obstacles (three deaths in the family, a long illness, a cheating and emotionally abusive husband, and financial difficulties), I am happy to say that this is ever so true. I am so much stronger these days, and my view of what is and isn’t important in life has changed very much. I guess this is why I no longer worry about the pettiness and triviality of some people and life in general.

So continuing along the same theme of abuse and Nietzche’s famous quote, there is one thing that really gets to me above all else, and this is the issue of animal abuse. There are two things that stir my heart with the desire for vengeance -- and no, it’s not a cheating ex-husband anymore -- it is the evil in those people who abuse the helpless -- children and animals.

On that note, I would like to introduce author Jeffrey R. Crimmel and his book “Centavo”. In this novel, Jeffrey explores the story of a female dog who has come up against obstacles that she has learned to overcome and learn from. Once again, we go back to Nietzche’s quote of “What doesn’t destroy me makes me stronger.” I think this applies not only to humans but also to our furry friends.

Not only this, but Jeffrey is working on a very worthy cause and he has my every support!

Here is what Jeffrey has to say about Centavo:

Centavo is a street dog born in Mexico, near the Sea of Cortez. Being a street dog is one thing but being one in a third world country is quite another. Centavo has to learn survival skills from her mother, dog friends, and from trial and error. The life of a dog on the streets is difficult, to say the least, but one day Centavo's life enters another phase completely alien to her.

Two American gringos from Arizona see Centavo and ask if anyone owns her. The locals know she is a street dog and say no. So begins the transition in the life of this dog from the beach of San Felipe into becoming an American dog. Two meals a day, someone to pet and love her, and another dog and a cat to live with make up her life as she transitions into becoming Penny, her new name, a dog living in America.

The story is centered on the message for the need for spay and neutering clinics in third world countries and in developed countries as well. Part of the profits go to continuing the clinic in San Felipe, Mexico, or any clinic that the buyer of the book directs me to send the money. Awareness of this need is essential and ongoing.