Erin King, Writer Extraordinaire
A celebration of perseverance
“A hero is one who knows how to hang on one minute longer” Novalis
Where to begin… the heroic perseverance and tenacity of Erin King can only be truly understood by those who recognize her plight within themselves.
She managed to overcome being a survivor and enter the world of the thriver. Uncensored, her wisdom prevails over widespread demographics because she explores the human experience.
King is a top writer for Illumination-Curated because she agrees to bleed on the page.
Sifting through her articles, I felt like I arrived at home. Someone out there understands what it is like to come from a high-risk family and fight with all one’s might to break the cycle. Erin King is such a person.
I chose to read in no particular order. “8 Green Flags For Lasting Love” jumped off the page immediately. Without knowing any insight on King’s life, I related to all her green flags as my marriage followed the same trajectory.
No games, feeling safe with your partner, it’s different in the right way: and the rest of her green flags not only resonated, but it also made me feel triumphant. I married my husband 16 years ago, online, like King, stemming from a highly tumultuous life that my marriage brought to a close.
The “No Games” made me laugh. My husband had no hustle in the dating scene. He was not a player. Oblivious to first date rules, he told me about his divorce, money issues, more about his ex-wife, and an onslaught of woes.
Then he turns to me and asks, “Do you want to merge our lives together?”
UM…what?
Three weeks later, he spoke of marriage. Six months later, we wed. I have never looked back. That bright green flag dared me to take a risk, attempt something new, and re-evaluate my ideal comfort zone.
Next, I read “The Daily Struggle of Emotional Setbacks In Trying Times.” A new side of King emerged. With tremendous courage, King shone brightly with her authentic energy and evaluation of herself through the lens of trauma.
I sense a camaraderie when I read her article because I know my kind. And her mighty climb to heal may be incomprehensible to some, but to those who know it, I can say without any doubt, know she is lucky to be alive.
There is one trait of early childhood trauma that predicts future success or pre-disposed failure: Accountability. The people that experienced one unsettling, disturbing event after another with no reprieve always remain accountable for their life. Victim mentality will make a person sink. Erin King always looked for the silver lining.
I cannot be certain, but after reading her biography “Author Introduction: Erin King — Never Give Up On Your Healing,” her fighting spirit revealed itself.
It took years and years for King to heal herself as she battled demons, circumvented triggers, and learned to take care of herself.
In those years, depression takes hold; anxiety can ravish your body, causing physical ailments, chronic pain, an uneven temperament, endless crying, constant thinking that ultimately leads back to the trauma.
Sitting in uncomfortable emotions, reliving the trauma in your body, learning to self-regulate builds a bridge in your brain between your logical thoughts and your feelings.
If Erin King did not choose to persevere, there would be no happy marriage, no beautiful writing, and no seeds planted for her readers to grow.
And she is a brilliant writer, too!
Thank you, Ms. King for working so hard, while mired in scars, surrounded by hope, outliving the torment, and illuminating our lives with inspiration and boundless honesty.
You are your own hero, but you are mine as well. I do not believe I am alone. Living by example is far easier than repressing pain. The example you set is one of going against the odds, full force, like a cannonball, and reaching the other side, eyes wide open, basking in your light.