We are celebrating the light at the end of the tunnel of trauma and abuse and exploring the challenges along the way.
My name is Melissa Corrigan, or simpIy ~m. I'm an adoptee, trauma survivor, Navy veteran, mom to LGBT teens, ally, advocate, wife, friend, and person. I have amassed a wealth of life experiences (with or without my consent), and I'm here to share valuable life lessons, wisdom, stories, and random piece ...
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My apologies for our break last week! I got a wicked cold and was unable to record. I'm glad to be back, and discussing family trees. This particular episode discusses genealogy from the perspective of an adoptee. Melissa shares her personal experience diving into her genealogical history, highlighting the challenges and importance of understanding one's roots. The episode underscores the impact of family stories and the profound sense of loss adoptees can feel when disconnected from their biological history. Through anecdotes and reflections, she explores the transformative power of uncovering one's ancestry, the societal shifts influencing family dynamics, and the modern tools available for genealogical research. As always, follow my writing on Medium.com and my website: www.melissacorrigan.com Thank you for listening! ~m
I am so unbelievably honored this week that I am able to share two pieces from one of the contributing writers of Served, Brett Ferek. Brett is an Iraqi war veteran who served in the Marine Corps. His writing is raw and poignant, relaying a range of emotions as he reflects on his experiences in the combat zone and life as a Marine and a veteran. Brett's work can be found here: https://medium.com/@brettthomasferek As we publish the works of veterans, we discover and explore the depth of emotion experienced by those who served in the United States armed forces. Be sure to join the Facebook group to get updates and chat with other listeners! Check out my website, www.MelissaCorrigan.com, to always be in the loop! If you are enjoying The Light at the Other Side podcast, consider a tip? Click here to buy me a coffee! Thanks for listening, and until next week... be well. ~m
Discussion of military stories and experiences in the U.S. Navy, reflecting on the impact of 9/11 and the challenges faced by female sailors in the military. Impact of 9/11: "The day I decided to enlist, a pizza shop, a blue September sky, and the end of the world as we knew it. 9 11...." Challenges for Female Sailors: "I should have stuffed it already. And the angrier he got, the more I became acutely aware that this guy was about to hit me or throw something at me...." Don't forget to join the Facebook group for listeners: https://www.facebook.com/groups/268440279538198 Story 1: "The Day I Decided to Enlist" https://medium.com/the-memoirist/the-day-i-decided-to-enlist-7530367aa0c3 Story 2: "One Hand Covering My Ass, One Hand in a Salute" https://medium.com/@itsjustmelissak/one-hand-covering-my-ass-one-hand-in-a-salute-6e06e53be0b3 I’ve shared a lot about my military service, the good and the bad, and in the coming weeks I’ll be sharing some stories of brave men (and amazing writers) who have shared their perspective from the combat zone. You won’t want to miss these insightful, sometimes poetic, often heartwrenching, stories from the trenches. As always, if you’d like to contribute your story to the podcast, you can email me at thelightattheotherside@gmail.com or go to my website, Melissacorrigan.com, and contact me that way. I highly recommend you hop on Medium and head to the publication Served to check out more stories from veterans. Thanks for listening! ~m
Parenting... it's the hardest thing you'll ever do, but it can also be the most rewarding. We've all heard it before, but let's dig deeper and examine the role of Ego and how it plays into guiding a young life to adulthood. This is related to the following piece: https://medium.com/age-of-empathy/its-not-personal-it-just-is-what-it-is-f9751e98a06c?sk=e23467ae2dc1bed79007c87b67d67bf7 If you're following along, make sure to join the Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/268440279538198 And one last announcement: I've launched a second podcast! Since we live in a capitalist hellscape, I did put the new one behind a paywall so I can continue to eat... but hey, it's only $5 a month! Check it out here: https://doessheshutup.substack.com/ Thank you for your continued support and for lending me your ears for 30-40 minutes a week. ~m
