Things That Keep Me Up At Night

By Marie McKenzie and /

If you've ever wondered whether faith and determination are a recipe for success, " Things That Keep Me Up at Night" answers that question. Marie takes you through her journey from adversity to triumph in this compelling memoir. From sexual assault at the age of eleven, through to becoming a successful Registered Nurse. Marie charts her path through the hills and valleys on the way to success. She pays tribute to the people who inspired, encouraged, and supported her through various stages of her journey. Her work as an advocate for victims of sexual assault and rape, domestic violence, and homelessness will encourage those who have been through similar experiences and need their hope restored.

• Language: English
• Publisher: MARIE L MCKENZIE, LLC
• Release date: Jun 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9781737102304

Marie McKenzie

 Marie Mckenzie is an Award-winning & #1 Bestselling author, Coach, International Speaker, Registered Nurse, and Educator. She is a former board member of The Inner Truth Project, a not-for-profit organization that works with survivors of sexual violence, to help them regain their voices, heal, thrive, and survive. Marie teaches new nurses and coaches victims of sexual assault to help them heal from the trauma and become powerful self-advocates.

Book preview

The Things That Keep Me Up at Night

THE THINGS THAT KEEP ME UP AT NIGHT

MARIE MCKENZIE

MARIE L. MCKENZIE LLC

Things that Keep me up at Night

Marie McKenzie

Marie L. Mckenzie LLC

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Some names, identifying details, and dates have been changed or omitted to protect the innocent.

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Things that keep me up at Night by Marie McKenzie Copyright ©2021

ISBN: [eBook] 9781737102304

ISBN: [Trade Paperback] 9781737102311

Marie L. McKenzie LLC

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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever or by any means including electronic, mechanical or photocopying, or stored in a retrieval system without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For permission, contact Marie McKenzie at marielmckenzie.com

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Covered designed by: J.L. Woodson:

www.woodsoncreativestudio.com

Interior Designed by: Lissa Woodson

www.woodsoncreativestudio.com

Editor: J.L. Campbell

www.joylcampbell.com

Editor: Lissa Woodson

www.naleighnakai.com

Beta Readers: MarZé Scott, Solsiré E. Felida, and Terri Johnson

This book is dedicated to the human survival instinct and our ability to overcome. In this memoir, I recount my adversities with profound respect and gratitude for the lessons that each have imparted to me.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First, glory and honor to my Lord and Savior, for bringing me through. Special thanks to my husband, George, for your love and support throughout this journey, and for showing me what a healthy marriage is. To my family and village without whom I may not have survived the journey.

To my mother, Veda Angel, for giving me life and love. I wish you were here to share your story.

Special thanks to Naleighna Kai, without whom this book wouldn’t have been written, and for your incredible coaching and editing talents.

To J.L. Campbell my amazing book coach and editor.

J.L. Woodson the cover design rocks.

To NK Tribe Called Success for the incredible support and encouragement. You all inspire me.

To those I did not mention by name and may have forgotten, thank you for all the love and encouragement. May your light never dim and your cup run over into your saucer.

CONTENTS

Foreword

1. Origins

2. My mother! My mother! My mother!

3. My Father

4. My Maternal Grandparents

5. My Sister, Marcia

6. My Sister Ruby

7. Aunt Herma

8. Assaults

9. High School

10. The Village

11. The Neitas

12. The Briscoes

13. My Career Path

14. First Marriage

15. My Hallelujah! My George

16. Church

17. Reflections

Survivor: The Healing Journey

Breaking The Silence

Let’s Help To End This Madness

My Prayer

Marie McKenzie

Also by Marie McKenzie

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The Merry Hearts Standalone Series

J. L. Campbell

Naleighna Kai

MarZe Scott

Terri Ann Johnson

Stephanie M. Freeman

Solsire E. Felida

FOREWORD

She stands on the fathoms of memory. Rising above a sea of grief, she curtsies to Sir Death knowing she is no longer ruled by her pain. Survival smiled in return and set fire to the sky.

—Stephanie M. Freeman, Author of Necessary Evil and Nature of the Beast

1

ORIGINS

Open secrets are seldom spoken. The way the mind works is curious. Some memories are dear to us and we want to hold onto them forever, while erasing others. However, to share my life journey I must scan my brain for the good and bad. The incidents or memories I want to forget are the ones on perpetual rewind, and some that need to be recalled have been permanently deleted. I often pray that the painful recollections will vanish, like some people, from my life. However, they seem to be glued closer than family.

I grew up in a large extended family in the parish of Clarendon, Jamaica, but wasn’t born there. However, life prior to that is a complete blur. My maternal grandparents had lived in England for many years and retired to Jamaica. The five-bedroom house was always filled with people, family, and friends.

On special occasions, we congregated at my grandparents’ house, which was the venue for all major happenings.

One such event occurred in the Summer of 1973. One female family member was there for a home birth. The women were excited and busy with the preparations for the baby. While everybody rushed around, I sat on the living room sofa reading a book. I had started reading at an early age and always carried a book in hand.

The man seated beside me was there for the birth, and not directly involved in the process. In those days, men weren’t encouraged to take part in the birthing, so he was reading the newspaper, which he spread across my legs and his.

The back of the sofa was against the bedroom wall where the birthing team was occupied. The woman in labor was moaning and groaning in obvious distress. One of the doors leading in and out of that bedroom was to the right of where we sat, and someone could have appeared at any minute.

Since it was their first child, I expected him to show some compassion for her discomfort. He didn’t give any indication that he heard his wife, or that he was aware of what was happening so close to where we were situated.

This pervert was bold. I hadn’t thought about it then, but it was obviously not his first rodeo. He had to have done this before, with no repercussions.

Without saying a word, he shifted closer as his hand crept up the inside of my legs underneath the paper. I was paralyzed with shock and fear as he attempted to put his fingers in my vagina. The only thing I had the strength to do was clamp my legs shut. However, he kept trying to force his hand between my thighs.

I would not relent and could not stand.

His fumbling seemed to have gone on for hours, although I’m sure it was only a few minutes. When he realized I wasn’t moving or opening my thighs, he laughed, pulled away, and continued reading the paper as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

I was eleven years old.

Neither of us moved for a while. For the rest of that day and the following weeks the feeling of disgust remained with me. Although I avoided being near him,