Battle Fatigue

Part of my "early childhood development" occured in Israel. From late 1973 through early 1975, that's where I lived. Basically, ages 4-5.

1974, apparently, was not a good year to be a child in Israel. Not that it's ever a good time to live in the middle east.

I can step back from it and say... "wow, that sort of environment would really mess with a child's head, especially if they go from American society, to Israeli society for a year and a half of crucial development time, and then back to American Society." Then I realize that I'm basically living proof of that statement. True, there are a zillion other factors which contributed to my fucked-upness, but 1973-5 Israel is a big one.

I never felt that I could relate to people I met who were "abuse survivors" in the same way I could relate to Veterans. I guess that it makes sense. I just don't have any stripes for my service. Just the ones I put there with razor blades, I suppose.