That Which Does Not Kill Us.

I've always been a very trusting person.  Sort of Pollyanna-ish in that I believe people are good until proven otherwise.  I never suspect someone of being out to hurt me or take advantage of me.

I've been hurt a few times because of this, but not enough to change.  And despite many red flags, I recently trusted someone whom I definitely should not have trusted.  And I got burned.

I met this girl I'll call Dana years ago, before I married husband #2.  Then she moved away and we had no contact until late last year.

Dana literally has no friends.  Her own family will not have anything to do with her.  But I felt sorry for her. People who knew her warned me not to trust her.  But I assured them that it was okay. I insisted that she wasn't a bad person.  Also, she's bipolar.  As someone who has suffered with severe depression and anxiety, I have a great deal of sympathy with those suffering from mental illnesses.  So even when she showed her nasty side, I told myself it was the illness, not her.  But bipolar does not mean pure evil.  And this girl is pure evil.

I made her very angry in April.  I was more than willing but NOT ABLE to do something she wanted me to do.  I was going out for a few drinks with my (real, true, God-given) best friend. Dana wanted to come along, but needed me to pick her up from a neighboring town, then take her home afterwards.  I simply could not afford the gas, and she had no money to offer me for repayment.  I told her I was sorry, and she said it was fine.

And then she proceeded to try to destroy every aspect of my life.  She has told vicious lies to try to ruin my relationship with my CHILDREN, to get me fired from my job, and to get my friends and loved ones to turn against me.  She told people about my private life, but twisted the truth and exaggerated the reality to make me sound like a horrible person. And then made up stories that had absolutely no basis in fact.

I've been doing battle against her lies for nearly two months now.  She didn't succeed in any way.  At times, I thought she would.  I thought her evil lies would win.  But they won't, she won't.  It's not over, but progress has been made.  My faith has been restored.  Some people are quick to believe negative things, especially juicy, Jerry Springer-like stories. But fortunately, the real world deals in facts, not made-up lies.

I would be lying if I said I did not want revenge.  BADLY.  I can taste it.  But I won't do it.  I won't risk getting myself in trouble for her.  She is not worth it.  I know, beyond a doubt, that she will pay for what she's done, in some way. I may never know or see it, but I know it will happen.  Things like this don't go unpunished.

I'm a strong person.  I've been through a lot of shit.  This nearly broke me.  This had me, at one point, literally lying on my best friend's SIDEWALK outside of her house, sobbing my heart out.  With my head in her lap, she rubbed my back and promised me that in the end, it would all work out.

And it will.  This didn't break me.  It won't break me.  SHE won't break me.  Evil will not win.
We're going to be alright.