The Garden of Roses: Stories of Abuse and Healing

Sandy River Rambles: Sandy to Gresham Via Orient Drive on a Stormy Winter Evening or Seeking Shelter From the Storm and Finding Healing in a Sunset I lived in Portland more than 17 years before I discovered Orient Drive.  I normally drove home from Mt. Hood on the road most often traveled -- Highway 26 from Sandy to Gresham, Oregon.  The first time I traveled Orient Drive was on a stormy winter day.  The drive and the storm inspired me in multiple ways.  First, I found myself fascinated as I recognized bits of history along the road.  Second, when I looked at my photos after the drive, I immediately saw two metaphors for very important aspects of healing:  Keeping yourself safe in the storm and finding healing in a moment of beauty such as an awesome sunset. In 1846 during the days of the Oregon Trail, there was no Sandy and no Gresham.  Perhaps a few scattered farmsteads occupied their place.  The main road from The Dalles t...

Note from Virginia Pickles Jones:  I am a child sex abuse and date rape survivor who came forward in my 40s.  I was sexually abused by two teenaged boys when I was 4 and struggled with depression, low self esteem and anxiety through out my childhood.  Due to the lack of proper treatment, I was not able to protect myself from date rape at age 22.  And yet, despite the lack of support, I managed to endure through the one thing open to me -- time spent hiking in nature.  The very act of walking helps fight depression as when we move the feet forward, we also move the mind forward.  As an adult, I tried Prozac for depression.  I actually found prayer and meditation more healing and helpful than any medicine.  Prayer and meditation did not take my problems away.  They made me calmer and stronger as I coped with my problems, but depression and anxiety can make prayer and meditation difficult because it is hard to distract the mind from repetitive,...