The Boy Scouts of America
In 1972, during my Jr High School years, I participated in the Boy Scouts of America. As I remember, I was a bit reluctant to join. I was also participating in the Jr High School band as well. I remember both would be very serious challenges to face my fears of attention. My fear of attention was because of too many previous experiences where I got attention and paid a serious price for it! More than once.
One was a very very good experience! And, that was the Jr High School Band.
One was most damaging to me.
Cost of Damage Forum
I created a Forums Website to collect, list and comment on the various subjects in my life. The "Cost of Damage" forum is there to help me talk about my family background that influenced and caused damage in my life. As well as much of the details of my experiences that started when I was little. And, the latest social experiences, through which I have recently lived and here bearing witness!
Looking for a connection & comfort.
When I joined the Boy Scouts, I was timid, and unsure of taking the risk. And, at first it was great. I most loved the backpacking & camping. That was my element!
But, the deeper reason I joined was to find connection and support from adults. What my life was deeply lacking in my home life! My father had deep issues that I noticed growing up. But, that's what I knew. That's what was familiar. However, it was far from normal!
At the advice of legal council...
On May 7th, 2020 I followed through on seeing a TV ad about a law office inviting former Boy Scouts, that had been sexually abused while in the Boy Scouts, to contact them regarding their experiences. And, I did!
On May 11th, a lawyer called me to talk further about the process. He also took more information from me, and email me a form to fill out regarding my sexual assault while in the Boy Scouts.
After I hear back from my legal council regarding the suit against the Boy Scouts of America. And, after my case is established and the investigation is more than on it's way. I will reassess the process of telling the details of my story.
A decades long process!
This was my life, and what I knew about my life. There are many facets and connections regarding my experiences, and my process of investigating my own story. Being born into a domestic violence & alcoholic family was the set up that lead to my being assaulted outside the family.
In 1983, I stopped attending classes to be a Director of Christian Education, with a emphasis in Music, after 1 semester at Concordia College in the Midway, St Paul, MN. It's now a University. I left because I couldn't focus on school, on my classes. My mind was full up. I had just buried my father two years earlier. During the Holiday Break of 1982, I was feeling rather depressed. I went to talk to the school nurse. She spoke more from a personal perspective than an official one. She mentioned that her son was an alcoholic, after I mentioned my father was one. She suggested I try going to Al-Anon, because that's what genuinely helped her. She didn't have answers or fixes for me. She just knew a personal, positive experience.
Following her suggestion, I began going to Al-Anon, and then ACOA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) meetings. And thus, began my experience, education, training, personal work, and life practice learning and living a life outside the alcoholic family system. This most significantly speaks to the more important part of the process... healing and freedom!
To quote a famous line from a movie "get busy livin, or get busy dyin..."
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