You Are a Victim!

By Malú Collado

The author describes and analyzes happy and painful moments in life that leave traces which are difficult to erase and can lead to erroneous determinations. It leads us with the hand beginning with childhood and its joys, through the difficult age of adolescence and its main preoccupations, to an acquired maturity not so much by the analysis of the events but by a state of fatigue and fear of the adversity and injustice that victimizes the human being until death. It gives an apparent solution and a strong validation to productive beings, on whom rests and for whom our world still survives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palibrio
• Release date: Dec 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9781506517940

Malú Collado

Maria de Lourdes (Malú) Collado was born, lived, and educated in one of the largest capitals in the world—Mexico City. She worked in the field of sciences, administration, medical research, and social services for many years. Her hobbies include philosophy, history (biographies), and archaeology. She travels the world for conventions and as a tourist, admiring the wonders of different countries and races. Already retired, she is engaged in social programs with various humanitarian groups, and now she ventures as a writer. It tells us a philosophy of life with her experiences and acquaintances and the struggle to survive in this chaotic but happy world.

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Copyright © 2017 by Malú Collado.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2016920903

ISBN:   Hardcover   978-1-5065-1796-4

   Softcover   978-1-5065-1795-7

   eBook   978-1-5065-1794-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Rev. date: 17/12/2016

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CONTENTS

DEDICATION

INTRODUCTION

YOU ARE A VICTIM!

OUR CHILDHOOD

OUR TEENAGE YEARS

MARRIAGE AND BEING A GROWN UP

MATURITY AND OLD AGE

YOU ARE THE MOST VALUABLE BEING ON EARTH

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to my children, Richard and Alexander, who have always been, who are, and who will always be my greatest inspiration to overcome and face all barriers in this life on behalf of their safety, happiness, and well being. And to my grandchildren, Richard, Carley, Hayden and Maya, who represent my future and my joy of living.

With admiration, to my parents, Mimi and Alberto, who with their love, dedication and example taught me to survive and gave me the tools to be able to do it.

With love and gratefulness to my sister Martha, who has been my friend, confidant, and companion in reaching our goals of personal and spiritual growth. To her, who has fought alongside me for so many years to achieve a very high goal in our own personal lives and in those of our loved ones.

To my brothers, Luis and Alberto, who have always been, and will continue to be, wonderful companions, comrades, and the biggest and most beautiful demonstration of love, brotherhood, and help.

To my husband, Heinz, with whom I have not only overcome diversity, but with whom I have grown to become a better being in order to achieve mutual and personal happiness on behalf of our loved ones.

To all my relatives back home and to those in other countries, with whom, I have been able to continue to have a strong and loving relationship, and who have always provided me with great advice and great times.

To my friends, teachers and classmates who have taught me something to live and to fight for.

And I would like to thank promotional artist Alexander Buechel, my son, with all my heart for his time and dedication in the design of the cover of this book. (www.alexbuechel.com)

INTRODUCTION

I know you are going through many things at the moment. We all think that we live in a chaotic world full of problems with no solution and with no way out. Where will it end? What will happen with our lives, our things, our ideas and wishes? It seems difficult to answer these questions without a feeling of apathy, despair and sometimes a deep depression that can lead us to become withdrawn. What happened with our trust in our friends and neighbors? What happened with our trust in the plumber who was welcome into our home without any problem, and without our being worried about his presence and his advice? What happened with those afternoons when we used to have coffee with our colleagues, when we used to boast about how well we were doing? Now it seems that we have to be careful even of your own shadow. What is causing this feeling of dread and anxiety we get every time someone tells us about something that happened in the most faraway town on the planet, as if it were happening next door?

Let me tell you that just like you, I too have been a victim of others on many occasions. Just like you, I feel my life has been difficult, but at the same time, it has been interesting and unique enough to fill pages and pages describing and covering every stage of my existence. Maybe it is true that reality, where our deepest feelings, love and hatred hide, is more extraordinary, fascinating, and passionate that any novel or Hollywood film. As my aunt used to say, Life is something very personal that should not be shared with others. Whatever it may be, we keep our personal story within, the story that we want to be able to bring out into the light one day and have someone listen to and therefore understand. The story that will validate our efforts and that will commiserate with us and help us through difficult times. But where are those angels who protect us, those we sometimes look for in the dark? Where are those fair and understanding beings, which will side with us and grant us forgiveness?

I was lucky enough to have good parents who provided me with an education that helped me out of many potholes in life, and which helped me get a job when my life did not go well. Is this life? Was it really life or was it another one of our fellow beings who for some obscure personal reason made me think that I did not deserve to be there, or that I should not have something because one can never have everything one wants? Who knows why many people treat us poorly without our having done anything to deserve it, or why they take away from us something we worked hard to obtain. There are perhaps many answers that no one has ever found, and that even in spite of my education I have been unable to fathom.

I attended university; I graduated and obtained my diploma. I also did an MBA and a PhD, besides numerous certifications and other small courses here and there, and still none of this helped me prevent many of the sorrows and scary and upsetting situations I have lived through. But why? I used to ask myself, my parents, my teachers, my friends, and even my enemies. Still I was unable to find an answer. Was it me or was it others? My mother used to say, You are partly to blame because you do not know how to behave. The rest is due to those you deal with because you do not know how to choose your friends. And she was right. Many times I did not know how to or simply could not choose my own family, my country, my bank, my government, my classmates, my teachers, my jobs, nor many other things, places and people with whom I was forced to interact.

So, I lived my life and I suffered and cried, and reached the conclusion that I am a victim, not of fate, but of life. More specifically, of some of the people I encountered. I thought they were good people, when they were not. I would trust them, and they would betray me; I would ask for, but would not receive; I would speak, but would not be listened to; I would give, but would receive no thanks. Maybe the world is like this, and I would ask myself why some people — few of them to tell the truth — looked happy, chose their partners well, would prosper and financial issues and barriers did not affect them. What did those people have that I