Thursday, November 4, 2010

Editor's Note

I got hijacked at gunpoint last week. It's one of those things that happens sometimes in South Africa.

We say

"At least you're ok." a lot here.

My head, after the incident, isn't as ok as I would've hoped. I have become slightly agoraphobic and withdrawn. Hence my lack of participation on twitter or anywhere else really.

I'm fine. I don't feel like talking about it just yet. Until then, thank you for your understanding.

132 comments:

dorothy said...

wow. ok that's scary. glad u're fine. thinking that someone that i love is at stake saddens me.hope u come back to yourself soon, but don't push yourself much.till then, get enough rest, take care of yourself, try to mix around and forget bout it, love :)

i love you :)

Alyaa said...

Thank god you're alright! I wish you well, wherever you are. Wish I could give you a hug, but I'm thousand of miles away from you.

Take your time. I'll be waiting for you.

HUGS.

<3

Kinjiki said...

Hope you'll eventually get better.

xueni ; said...

Didn't expect something like that will happen on you; someone that seemed full of love, like you.

Will send you some love via prayers.
Please make yourself feel comfortable.
Wish you all well.

I will wait for your recovery.
Miss you.

(:

Kinjiki said...

Hope you'll eventually feel better.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad to know that you're okay. Take as much time to recover from the incident as you need and want. I wish you all the best. :)

izzati noris said...

“We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.”
-Kenji Miyazawa

May you find peace in the time you take being away, but until you do, hope you know i miss you and love you.

*hugs*

Take care :)

calm interlude said...

oh my. Thank God you're ok. Take your time to recover.

Take care of yourself please.
Hugs and kisses :)

Anonymous said...

I'm really glad you're okay.

Hana Hashim said...

Thanks to God, you're Ok.. Take a good rest as much as u need..

Anonymous said...

Hope you will feel better in a while. Take your time recovering, we'll wait (^^)

Unknown said...

I hope you'll feel better soon!
<3

Tram said...

I'm sorry that this happened to you but we're all so glad you're alright. Your words are inspiring to many people such as myself, please know that you've brought to many individuals not only words of wisdom, truth, and beauty but a kind of clarity that remains unmatched even til now.

Take some time to rest properly, as much time as you need. We will still be here :)

<3

Anonymous said...

Whoa, Hon. Sorry to hear about your scary incident. But you know exactly how to protect yourself and your family. Of this I am sure. Don't hesitate to call if you need my shoulder, for any reason. Up to you, obviously but... (tear) I want to talk everything/options/coping mechanisms over. Love you.

P.S. I want so badly to believe. I know that you are so important to me - caring and thoughtful, sweet love of my life. I want to just jump, already. But then I think about the airport and remind myself of my tendency to be gullible in optimism. Don't get me wrong... I believe wholeheartedly in us. But why keep it buried?

Comments? Questions? Concerns? Statements of
disbelief? Observations? Talk to me and I'll listen as always.
Yours always, Me

Big Mark 243 said...

Glad that you are fine. Being from a town like Detroit, I think I have an idea of the pervasive threat that kind of random crime can have on a person once you have been a victim of one.

Hope you can get better and resume living. Eventually you will return to form. Take care.

Anonymous said...

My goodness.. even if I had an address for you in South Africa, I wouldn't be able to find boxes big enough to contain the love and support I want to send you.

You seem to know how to say what's going on in my head better than I can, and reading your blog has brought me such clarity in the past few weeks. Thank you, thank you so much, and please, take care of yourself.

With love from NJ <3

Cass said...

i'm speechless on what has happened to you...i don't know how to console you and i'm ashamed that i'm inadequate to do so

Myue said...

get well soon
take your time
we won't go anywhere

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, i hope you stay well, the world is a scary place sometimes... A hug....

Anonymous said...

god bless you. You will be fine because you're strong enough to concentrate on the real things. Thank you for being so amazing, and making my life better each day. It is my turn to make you feel better today, therefore I hope that you forget about the events and move on, you are way to loved and appreciated to let anyone bring you down.

Cassandra said...

Sending love your way. If you need anything, you know how to find me.<3

Unknown said...

I'd've missed you if you died.

Sara said...

So happy that you are alright! Hope you feel better soon! ♥

Anonymous said...

I always pretend you're my ex boyfriend who I love that refuses to say how he feels. He got robbed at knife point recently. If it is secretly you, I love you too :) x

Seph said...

Love, strength and healing to you. You're in my thoughts. <3

E. said...

It's perfectly normal to feel terrified.
I hope you'll feel better soon.
Lots of comforting hugs :)

Shallena said...

Thank God that you're okay!
Please take all the time you need, we will all understand.

You have brought hope, support and inspiration to hundreds of people. I think it is our turn to support you. We will be right here, when your ready.

I will keep you in my thoughts prayers. Much love. <3

Anonymous said...

thank god you're okay!
I don't know what I'd do without your precious words

stay well :)

Natanya Elka said...

You will be alright. You have survived this, and you have seen worse. Time is your friend, now.

Take your time.

Love,
Me

Bitsy said...

I pray that the peace that flows through you will surround you with love and protection in this unsure world.

-Heather

Anonymous said...

Oh my, that really is a life-shaking experience! It is good that you are okay physically, though it's hard that the emotional experience is still weighing on you. I hope that you feel better soon, not because I love your posts, but because you deserve to live your life in happiness and not in fear.

Take care. Reach out to friends. We'll wait for you here; we're all cheering for you~

Anonymous said...

Hope you're alright and wish you all the best. We'll all be here for you. <3

Much love,
xx

love you, always. said...

stay strong iain :/

Hopeless Romantic said...

My god! I'm so sorry. :( <3

Suburban Sweetheart said...

Thinking of you.

delayne said...

Your post gave me shivers. I'm SO glad you're safe, my friend!

Please know how much you and your wonderful words mean to people around the world, and please know that every one of those readers is right now wishing you the warmest of hugs to help you through the aftermath.

A trauma like the one you've just experienced begs for a healing Time Out from the world, so please cocoon for as long as you like and be sure to wrap yourself in the virtual arms of your caring readers. We'll all be here when you're ready to return, 'k?

J said...

<3 love you.

Alyssa said...

My older brother is spending a year in South Africa right now doing civil rights work. He tells me about the things he sees there. I am so sorry this happened to you. I am confident that you will get better. We all support you and are thinking of you highly.

ATB said...

Of course we understand! You are one of the shining lights out there in the Universe, but every now then even the brightest lights need rest & repair. Take care of yourself. Know that we are all here. ♥

Rooj Siddiqui said...

Ohmigod, that sounds scary. I hope you're okay, hun. Love and healings on your way <3

stay safe..

zonedin said...

You don't have to talk about it, Just please know that I am so happy nothing worse happened. I cannot even imagine the emotions you are experiencing. One thing that goes through my mind is what kind of urgency can cause a person to feel the compelling need to traumatize another person in that way? My mother's boyfriend had a man enter his house and put a gun to his head..It was just a robbery. Why does a person need to go to that length to get something material and really of little value in the whole scheme of things? I just don't think I'll ever understand it.

My heart is with you.

Anonymous said...

I love you. I'm so sorry this happened. Everything is gonna be ok.
Love,
Me

Anonymous said...

I can relate.

Erin said...

you are in my prayers xo

Anonymous said...

I love you. I honestly love you. I love your blog. You have saved me. I wish I could express how much it means to me. Thank you. <3

unaffected said...

:(

I'm sorry you had to experience that. I hope you get your head back soon enough.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry about us, just try to feel better again. I'm so glad you're okay. You'll mske it through this.

<3

Erin said...

I can't even begin to tell you how many lives you touch every day, including mine... I'm so glad you're okay! I'll be praying for you, and of course take as much time as you need! <3

Brittany said...

I can only imagine what you are experiencing, I can only imagine the fear, the panic, the paranoia, the anxiety, the madness, the questions, the answers you cant find. I can only imagine.

These words mean everything to me, I hope they can mean something to you:

Don't Panic.


Remind yourself. Feel everything.
Feel yourself bleed this out until it disappears and you can begin to go on again. It probably feels like your holding your breath, but once you start to breathe again,

The wind will come back, and you will feel it's breeze.

I send my love.
Take time, take yourself patiently,
The world will be here when it's over. for you.

cynical bones said...

heal <3

Cristy said...

I'm glad you're okay. Take your time recovering. We'll all be here to support you in the meantime.

aish. said...

A plus out of this would be the sardonic fact that later in life, when someone asks you what's the craziest/most dangerous thing that's ever happened to you, you get to pull this one out of the bag.

Mine is the lame act of falling off a galloping horse, FTR.

Much love, as always. xxx

Anonymous said...

always see the light ♥

Anonymous said...

Love to you. Take care, and take as long as you need. We'll wait. <3

Robyn said...

Regardless of how often that happens in your neighbourhood, being hijacked at gunpoint is still a horrible thing to go through.

I send my love to you, and I'm going to get a couple of lions to guard you when you're outside. <3

juillet said...

i love you nevertheless.

Anonymous said...

'they say whatever doesnt kill you only makes you stronger.'
but God bless your still alive.

Anonymous said...

sometimes writing can help...

we all need to read what you write, don't abandon us for too long.

LibraryGirl62 said...

Oh my gosh-I pray you are OK. Take care of yourself and take all the time you need to heal

Anonymous said...

glad your okay. take care of yourself.

The Lack of Eloquence said...

I'm so sorry. The world can be a cruel place, and at times, seems like nothing more than a never ending cycle of violence. We can dwell on the past and allow our flashbulb memory to replay the events on the backs of our eyelids until we take our last breath, but the world doesn't stop. There are new and beautiful people, places, and events to discover everyday. You've helped innumerable people through their own hardships. Just remember that.

Anonymous said...

stay positive. its the only way to fight the crazy people who do that in this beautiful world. sending you positive thoughts from FL. xo.

Anonymous said...

it's kind of crazy, the scary things that this world can do.
Not everyone realizes it though just because it doesn't happen to everyone. I'm not going to attempt to tell you that i understand what you're going through, because i can't. I've been sad though, i've been scared and i know that it isn't as helpful as people think when you hear the words "i know how you feel" or "i'm happy you're okay". Although i do wish to say, please take your time to be okay because everyone will be here. As bad as the world can be, it has some perks.

Anonymous said...

we're all thinking about you <3

Gloria said...

Take the time and space you need, but please don't forget to write (for yourself) in the meantime. I hope you feel safe and sound again soon. And I hope you will heal and be all right all throughout. ^^

Anonymous said...

I love you.

Seesaw said...

hope you feel better soon! you should, because this blog has made me feel better so so many times and what goes around SHOULD come around...

catchingacolder said...

http://garfunkwritesthis.blogspot.com/2009/08/eyes-closed.html

Anonymous said...

All of our thoughts are with you, I hope you'll get to be somewhat of your old self soon again.

Hang on tight, Iain.

Anonymous said...

Glad you're ok. Feel better. Love you.

Tess said...

feel better soon
and listen to this:
get sick soon by Hello Saferide

it's healing.

Jay said...

Iain, when I was hurt and broken, your words picked me up and made me hopeful. We are all here for you now. Take your time. I am not going anywhere.

Khoo said...

take time to heal yeah

Anonymous said...

That is terrible! I am hoping that you are ok and I know that had to be traumatic. May you find some peace and perhaps the one good that can come from this horrible experience is you can vent through your work here. You can write something if and when you are ready that you would have said to the lost souls who did this to you. You could even write a fantasy meet between them and God with reflection of things they may have done and will regret once in front of The Creator. You have the power and they surely will be powerless when they face their Maker.

From Kandle Jones, USA

Alex Price said...

I'm so happy you're ok and that you were able to come home safely. Please, take all the time you need to recover and rest. You'll be alright when it's all done.

I've fallen in love with this blog and all of your writing. It's all so beautiful and so meaningful, even if it has a different meaning to you as it does to me. We'll all be waiting for you to come back. Take your time, and get well<3

Lan said...

we're all here for you. we love you.

love,
Lan

Yue Huan said...

Get well soon <3 don't ever stop writing. Your words have helped me to cope with life.

Anonymous said...

God bless you! hope all is well.

Anonymous said...

Never doubt that you are all I think about. I hope you are having fun and doing okay. I can't seem to decipher this latest state of what I hope you still regard as our union. You say you don't want to talk about it but - that "nothing" answer only makes me worry even more. Our reactions towards one another surprise me sometimes. I, who suffers from stage freight felt a surge of pure calamity when we made eye contact. Meanwhile you, blessed with well deserved confidence, seemed nervous. I'm trying to figure us out, and I miss you so much just now. [Okay, always.] You say you are in no hurry, followed by "make some noise." I guess I'm just confused, but feel that you, as the natural leader, hold the actual starting gun. And I will know when it's "go" time. Thoughts? Love you.

Hopeless Romantic said...

My last comment got cut off somehow, I don't know how... but let's try this again...

It breaks my heart to think that you've had to go through that experience. I can't even imagine.
What you feel now is completely understandable.

But, I'm so glad you're all right. Just remember that we're here, and we care.
Take all the time you need, please.
Your well being is most important. <3

Anonymous said...

Last semester at my college campus in the United States, I was stalked by 7 boys across campus and then accosted. I wasn't raped, thankfully, and technically I was alright. But I wasn't alright.

Take all the time you need. That experience is with you forever and will never go away. But slowly and surely you will start to feel safe again. You 'll start to take back power from the people who took it away from you. And suddenly the world will look much different. A place full of horror, but also of hope. Nobody will quite understand what's going on in your head, despite your best efforts. But maybe, one day, you'll say all the things you really wanted to.

Alyssa

Anonymous said...

We're all glad you're okay.
Thanks for telling us.
Take your time.
Feel better.
Good luck.

Anonymous said...

Let me offer you the words you once offered me

http://www.iwrotethisforyou.me/2007/08/fur.html#links

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you're okay. I truly mean it. I hope your recovery is peaceful. Thank you so much for all this beauty and love you have given.

jac said...

We'll wait for you.

Anonymous said...

If this is real or not, it doesn't really matter.. it is real to some. If this is your reality, I am so sorry. It is not really fair. Life is not really fair. But you will grow, it will get easier, and you will see that it offers so much more than you ever knew it could. It is hard, it hurts, but I know it is what it is supposed to be in the end. God tells me, each night b/f I sleep

Anonymous said...

i hope you'll feel better soon. take a rest and take care...

Henry said...

best wishes <3

Tsubasa said...

I'm so sorry.

Anonymous said...

I have found that the best way to get through a life-threatening situation or painful experience is to focus on appreciating your second chance, the people you love, and the things you are grateful for. Simply be happy to be alive.

I love you and wish you well on all your life's encounters.

Anonymous said...

Your words always give me such strength. It's only fair I try to send some back your way, hope this works.

steph jay said...

Take as long as you need. We'll be waiting here for you ♥

To the edge of everything said...

I've been held at gunpoint too once, I know how hard it is to come back. But you do. I hope you're okay xxx

Anonymous said...

Sending love and well wishes from Canada. Your words are consistantly perfect. Take your time. We'll all be patient.

Toyin O. said...

Thank God you are okay, praying for a quick recovery.

Anonymous said...

A physical re-enactment of the emotional pain you've been through?
Maybe this is the turning point...
Maybe now you'll realise that life is better lived in the moment, with the pain and fear and lament and agony in the past.

I wish you strength, courage and love.

jpalove said...

At the edge of loss is where we learn some of our most important lessons.

http://jennaputnam.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

You are the last thing I ever want to lose. I'm glad to hear you're doing okay after something like that. Take all of the time you need to recover, we'll be anxiously awaiting your return.


Love you, miss you, see you soon..

Anonymous said...

Did anyone else not notice that this was posted at 12:23AM? I'm concerned, but that's just me. Please take care, until eternity claims you as a star, there I'm sure we'll all meet.

Charmaine said...

It changes you. This thing lives and breathes, consuming you in tiny bite size morsels; gnawing at your soul and belief in humanity. Know that we ache with you; we miss you; the old you. You will never be the same. May the light shine on you; into you and through you; slowly banishing the demons that haunt you.

Bex said...

I miss you. I hope you are alright and I am so sorry to hear about this.
Thank you, eternally for your incredible blog. Words cannot describe how much I love it.
I hope you come back soon, I hope you find something to heal you, and if it is further writing that helps, I'm sure you will make all of us very happy :) <3
I love you, God Bless you

Anonymous said...

I need your posts right now. I need a new post to read - to know life is okay. Please come back soon, I need you. We need you.

GeorgeDubya said...

Iain, nobody can take away what you're feeling, but I am just going to use my skills as a member of the West River Onion Packers to remind you of something you once said - "The difference between pain and love is time."

Be well, and remember that you are loved by many.

Anonymous said...

hello, i just wanted to let you know i think you are THE most brilliant writer alive today. maybe who ever lived. i'm constantly going back to look through your old posts. i think you should publish a book of all of this.
the things you write open my mind & have made my day countlesss times. so thank you.
<3

Cindy said...

I'm truly sorry that this unfortunately happened to you dear. Glad your okay. I hope you feel better soon, I'll be waiting for you to get back.

Cindy said...

I'm truly sorry that this unfortunately happened to you dear. Glad your okay. I hope you feel better soon, I'll be waiting for you to get back.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you're ok and after what happened you have earned the right to take your time to get well. Take care.xoxo

Anonymous said...

I come from a part of a world that is very sheltered. What you've been through is something that no one here can even imagine.

I won't humiliate myself in saying 'I feel for you' because in reality, I don't have the slightest clue of what you're experiencing.

Good luck, I wish you a speedy recovery and that nothing like this ever happens to you or your loved ones ever again.

Anonymous said...

you're in my thoughts and prayers.

Unknown said...

Hey ! please do take gud care of yourself . Your words are soo precious to so may people across the wrld. They fill my heart with emotions and feelings that I never knew they were there!
love you lots

eme said...

oh my! that's just scary. what counts is that you're alright!!

going through such an experience is not an easy task to get over so i wish the best to you.

now it makes me wonder how i would comfort a friend if the same situation were happen. what if it were to happen to me? what would i do?

thank you so much for all your inspirations. i hope all is well with you always.

Anonymous said...

I don't know if "I'm sorry it happened" would cut it. But I'm really glad to hear from you again. I hope you'll feel better and recover properly eventually. Stay beautiful! :)

All my love,
Aamyra

Anonymous said...

Sending you love. x

Anonymous said...

Today i bring you a smile and a hug... And i hope you feal better... I like to read what you write, it seams like it's coming from the bottom of your heart.... And I hope you get well soon because you´re a person that the world needs...

Leah said...

I love you. I miss you.

I'm angry and sad at the world for doing this to you and I'm sorry that it happened.

But you are stronger than the insensible ugliness of things like this. You are one of the little lights in the immense darkness. Lights don't go out just because the darkness gets bigger. You will be ok.

I know it.

Anonymous said...

I miss your poetic "voice.' Hope you will start writing again soon... it's all I can think about. Love you. <3

Rockster1039 said...

I'm so glad you're okay. I'm sure I have nothing to say that could help, just know you have a lot of fans here who care about you. <3

Anonymous said...

I'm praying for you.

Anonymous said...

I'll spend each and every day waiting for you;

you're my inspiration

überLAB said...

remember that you're never alone.

Yarrow Kae Bucans said...

Sending you love and light all, surround yourself in it and know that you are okay...

Linda Machado said...

It's surely a difficult situation to deal with and to recover from the trauma. So, take your time but come back again. Otherwise, the bad guys win...Don't let them win!

Fernanda said...

Hey! I don´t know you but I just read what you wrote, I know I can´t do much, but I would like you to know that people is getting worried for you and whatever you need please don´t doubt about telling someone! Even though it might be "silly" or stuff.
Thank God you are safe! Always try to smile and think positive....it helps a lot :)

mtarkhov said...

glad you're ok, sending the best wishes from Ukraine. a lot of people wishing you the best, and thank you for everything you're doing.

-max

Kait said...

You will be okay. Maybe not now, maybe not in a little bit, but eventually, you will be better. I love you. You have all of the love from me that you need to get through this.

Gheff said...

It must be an unforgettable experience. Take your time to stand up straight and walk again. Everyone is here, don't you worry a thing.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad you're alright. You, your words, you make the world a better place.

Anonymous said...

We're here. you know that.

-Scott

abry grey said...

So sorry to hear this. However, the good news is you are alive and relatively unharmed. Take all the time you need. You do so very much for each one of us,the least we can do is to give you any time you need. Takecare of yourself. Hugs.

Anonymous said...

I'm so so sorry to hear that. I'm glad you are safe.
I know it will be hard for you but just know we are here if you need us, your loyal fans, devoted strangers. Every time you drive past that spot or see one one who walks the same or wearing the same colours and brings it flooding back to your mind, remember we love you.
I love you.
my very best
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

kare o' the mountains said...

i just came across this update, and i had been wondering about what was happening with you. sending love and recuperative energy.

Distilled Rose said...

Praying for you. Praise God you are okay!