September 12, 2006

LIFE LESSONS LEARNED




By Meri, Aruban Boycott Contributor



The path to this boycott has not been an easy one to follow. We have hit many roadblocks the least of which are the Aruban authorities and their inability to either investigate or tell the truth about what happened to Natalee Holloway.


I have met a lot of people along the way and some have taught me a lot of lessons...both good and bad. I have learned that people lie, people have their own agendas and people pretend to be helpful when in fact, they are not. Some of this has been painful and I really believed that at my age at this stage of my life I could not be shocked or fooled. I was wrong.


I have had to pull so many knives out of my back that I have a permanent backache. I have had to learn to be quiet when all I want to do is shout out how I feel. I have not been able to behave the way I have always behaved and that is sometimes a problem for me.


When I see something that I believe is wrong my instinct is to fix it. I now know that I can't fix everything and everyone involved with this sad story and that even some of the people closest to Natalee are not always who they appear to be.


What I failed to understand at the beginning of my journey was that just because a child goes missing it does not alter or change people or their core personalities or their behavioral patterns. If they were not honest before...they will not suddenly become honest afterward. I have experienced secrets, lies, pettiness the likes of which I hope to never experience again and I have been shocked and offended too many times to count.


One thing never changes though...I am hear to help find out what happened to Natalee Holloway and despite those who would like nothing better than for me and other's like me to disappear off the face of the earth..I will continue on my journey.


I am traveling along with some very devoted and dedicated people and I feel blessed to have them by my side. They have taught me that it is possible to trust and to believe. We have been told by some that we are not always welcome and we have been lumped in with the true haters surrounding this case.


My fellow travelers are the reason why I keep going and all we need do is look toward the image of one woman. A woman who has shown courage beyond what I expected any human being to ever display after what befell her in late May of 2005. She inspires me and keeps me going and she humbles me whenever I want to walk away and recapture my life as it was before Natalee.


Beth...you are why I am here and your daughter will remain my focus until we find the truth and get that illusive justice that we seek. No one will deter me and my partners from our journey and no one will succeed in driving us away because we infringe upon their comfort zone.



Boycott Aruba--Support Beth Twitty and
help us find justice for her daughter, Natalee



7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Meri, this is a touching post. It brought tears to my eyes. You've spoken the truth so many times and this one post has touched my heart, thank you.

Beth is a lady and a mom who works hard at getting answers. We are her eyes and ears in many areas. We are her strength. We must continue and speak on her behalf everyday.

I will take your words.

Boycott Aruba--Support Beth Twitty and
help us find justice for her daughter, Natalee

God Bless You Meri, you are truly a wonderful person.

Anonymous said...

Meri-thanks for your awesome post. I will be here for Beth and all of Natalee's family until they have answers.

I am still waiting for you to finish outing those who tricked me, and ask that you not forget me.

Anonymous said...

Great post Meri. Always enjoy reading what you have to say.

Anonymous said...

Meri, Thank you for not giving up and
for helping to keep alive the search for answers for Natalee's family.

A boycott is the best way at this point to keep reminding Aruba! Aruba wants to forget Natalee and her family and WE WILL NOT LET THEM.

The sickos who play around with all this
will be forgotten.

Anonymous said...

Tell it like it is! Great Job!

Anonymous said...

You told it like it was and it had great impact.

The boycott will continue ALSO
to have impact - let's make sure Aruba
and America doesn't forget.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Meri, for being here and giving me hope that I, too, am not alone. One only has to look at Beth. Sure, many of us have been betrayed by "strangers", so-called friends we have met and made on the blogs. We have been disappointed and hurt by their betrayals. Look at what has happened to Beth. Look how she has been betrayed, let down, disappointed, blown-off, while suffering the worst of all tragedies! and I am sure we don't know the HALF of it!!! Yet, she keeps going, this model of motherhood, of undying, unselfish love!! Her brave face captured me in May 2005, as did her plight, how could I abandon her now? She doesn't know me, but I know she feels the presence of those supporting her and we can not let her down. Too many, known and unknown to her, have done that.