Heroes

Over the last few days, I've spent more time alone than I have in a while, which has been interesting and maybe useful, if not ideal, under the circumstances.

But yesterday after a morning at the climbing gym, my boyfriend and I took in an afternoon flick, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I was excited to see it because it was being billed as "as good as the best John Hughes in his day" and I was a huge fan of movies like Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club.

It didn't disappoint. It was cute, had a great soundtrack, and hit close to home for both my boyfriend and I, for different reasons. It carried a powerful message about connection, and the importance of connection in keeping us sane, especially those of us who have experienced traumatic episodes, whether in childhood or adulthood.

The trauma that Charlie (the movie's hero) experienced as a child was not unlike the trauma that I experienced in my own childhood, the kind of trauma that people get really uncomfortable talking about or even hearing about. And the fear he felt years later when he began having feelings for someone of the opposite sex was hauntingly familiar. Watching him driven almost to the point of madness, I knew on a deeper level than I have before that I had to do something to help kids (and grown-ups) who experienced what Charlie and I experienced.

The only problem is, I'm not sure how. I've thought about (and started) writing a book, and I've thought about seeing people for private yoga sessions and helping them that way, but I'm not sure how I advertise or look for victims of sexual abuse who want help with healing and letting go. So I'm putting it out there here, in the blogosphere, and setting the intention that in some way, my writing and work with others will accomplish the lofty goal expressed in the last two lines of this fabulous song:

I
I will be king
And you
You will be queen
Though nothing will
Drive them away
We can beat them
Just for one day
We can be Heroes
Just for one day

And you
You can be mean
And I
I'll drink all the time
'Cause we're lovers
And that is a fact
Yes we're lovers
And that is that

Though nothing
Will keep us together
We could steal time
Just for one day
We can be Heroes
For ever and ever
What d'you say

I
I wish you could swim
Like the dolphins
Like dolphins can swim
Though nothing
Will keep us together
We can beat them
For ever and ever
Oh we can be Heroes
Just for one day

I
I will be king
And you
You will be queen
Though nothing
Will drive them away
We can be Heroes
Just for one day
We can be us
Just for one day

I
I can remember
Standing
By the wall
And the guns
Shot above our heads
And we kissed
As though nothing could fall
And the shame
Was on the other side
Oh we can beat them
For ever and ever
Then we can be Heroes
Just for one day

We can be Heroes
We can be Heroes
We can be Heroes
Just for one day
We can be Heroes
We're nothing
And nothing will help us
Maybe we're lying
Then you better not stay
But we could be safer
Just for one day