A Phoenix Rising: Defining the Moments—By Bryan Nash
A Phoenix Rising: Defining the Moments, by Bryan Nash, published by Bryan
Nash Publications, LLC, tells the compelling true story of a foster child’s
triumph over abandonment and abuse. Nash offers a heartwarming story about
keeping faith and hope alive that will inspire those familiar with abuse.
The book minimizes the severity of his mistreatment to focus instead on his
strengths. A Phoenix Rising is in fact a testament to the strength of the
human spirit.
One of the reasons I loved A Phoenix Rising is because both Cindy and
Bryan’s voices ring so clear and true. Not only do they make me see and feel
the things they saw and felt, they make me believe that it is imperative we
forgive those who abuse. There were so many scenes that played a role in
making Cindy and Bryan into the persons they became and I felt at times it
was impossible to tell some things the way they really were.
Nash does such a wonderful job in the opening chapters showing the other
side—the loving, caring, and nurturing side of life. The contrast was so
important in being able to show the cruel and sadistic side that plays such
a role in the lives of children of abuse.
A Phoenix Rising, a very emotion-evoking story, is filled with many
interesting characters, ranging from angelic to satanic. Nash could not have
embellished upon either side of the character spectrum to make his
characters more real.
The reader immediately gets the idea that Nash is writing the story because
he wants the world to know about and take action against the growing
incidents of child abuse and to encourage a greater awareness of the issues.
The mentality at the time Bryan and Cindy were being abused by their aunt
and uncle was horrific. Although things have begun changing for the better
in the past few years, there is still a lot of oversight bordering on
ignorance, which Nash does well in cautioning the reader to be aware of and
take action against whenever and wherever it is discovered.
Graphic descriptions of the beatings creates sympathy, empathy, and anger to
the point of wanting to do something: “Four or five whacks later, we felt
welts on our butts and backsides; Paralyzed with the fear of being beaten;
Our innocence had been lost, left somewhere between Cedartown and the
California state line;” etc.
From the beginning of the chapter entitled, “The Little Bastard,” through
“Learning to Take the Wall,” the reader is shown, in the most graphic way I
have ever read, how adults can act like animals, preying on the weak in
order to satisfy their hunger for control and violence. And as Nash says in
the chapter, Learning to Take the Wall, “...a man of 260 pounds could do a
lot of damage to a kid of only eight years.” At the end of the same
paragraph, Nash quotes Hank’s angry expression as he says, “Where the hell
have you been, God damn it?” Nash gives the reader the thought at this time,
which he does several times throughout the story, “Where the hell have you
been God?”
The larger theme of the story is about how abusive adults can be with
children before the abuse is finally discovered and dealt with. The story,
although it doesn’t say so, tells us that if any errors are made, they
should be made in favor of the child.
The story leaves one believing there should always be some reciprocity
against adults who abuse children and there should never be a statue of
limitations.
We seem to hear similar stories, but all too often it is too late. It would
be nice to hear about the social workers or law enforcement officers who
rescued children from abusive environments.
Without a doubt, Nash is extremely qualified to tell this story and to
encourage others to take action. The history and documentation of child
abuse is abundant. Nash’s experience, fortunately, has created positive
values and a strong desire to help others. The issues he deals with makes
his book one of the most memorable and instructive on how we need to be
dealing with child abuse.
In the final pages of the book, Nash shares some “Afterthoughts.” The page
is titled, “Today I’m free, or am I?” He asks the question, “How does one
escape the confines of control and abuse unscathed?”
They don’t! But an important point Nash makes is, even though forced to
endure the unbelievable, it taught him “Endurance: To endure neglect, to
endure ignorance, and to endure the pain.”
I agree with the moral Nash applies to his story: “Everything happens for a
reason, and the greatest healer of all is the love you can give.”
Nash should be highly commended for having the courage to tell his (our)
story and to go the additional mile of helping other children suffering from
abuse and neglect by starting the Eddie Nash Foundation. I can speak from
personal experience of child abuse and through my work as a
teacher/counselor at the Childhelp USA school in Beaumont, CA.
The Eddie Nash Foundation: www.eddienashfoundation.org is a non-profit 501c
(3) organization Nash founded to create awareness and support for other
victims of abuse and to help children at risk. He has pledged the total
proceeds from his book to this foundation.
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