A TIME TO FORGIVE
‘Dancing on the Edge’





Reviewed by Journalist Sean Ryan for The Irish Catholic Newspaper

If you have ever wondered about the damage that bullying and physical
abuse do to a child, then you should read ‘Dancing on the Edge.’ If you
doubt the ability of the human spirit to rise above that abuse –
without recourse to Redress Boards or tribunals – then this is
essential reading.

Kay Forristal has written a gripping account of a life lived

“on the edge” for many years due to the physical and mental abuse she
suffered at the hands of a nun in primary school. She describes vividly
how this affected her – the loss of self-esteem, the belief that she
was extremely ugly, the depression into which she sunk for which she
could find no cure, despite a happy marriage blessed by lovely children
and a loving husband.

If you have lived a “normal” life, you might wonder how this could be.
Surely the blessings of her later life would surely outweigh the misery
of her early childhood? It’s not as simple as that – which is why a
book like this is so important. We enter a world of quiet, private
desperation, where it takes an almighty effort to even go outside the
door, where panic attacks are induced by the sight of a nun (any nun).
It could be a horror story but it’s not, because the author has a nice,
light touch, and doesn’t overdo the telling of her tribulations. She
moves the story along, telling about the good times as well as the bad,
all the while building to a climax, which was to free her – to heal her
– after more than 40 years of suffering.

She is a very brave woman for she came to the realisation that only by
offering her oppressor forgiveness could she be healed herself. So she
returned to the convent school where she had been educated and
confronted her former teacher. She had already sent her a poem she had
written called A Wounded Child, but the nun denied any recollection of the hurt involved. Finally Kay said, “I forgive you”
and put out her hand. It wasn’t accepted. When Kay went home she was
able to look at herself in a mirror for the first time without pain.

Kay’s trials were not over, even after that magnanimous gesture. There were
still the dreams and the compulsions: the over eating and the gambling.
Something still wasn’t right with Kay.

Eventually after a school reunion she found the answer. Back at her old school,
she finally released all the pent up anger she had kept at bay for 40
years. Meeting her tormentor again she said: “I told you several
years ago that I forgave you for what you did to me, but I didn’t
really forgive you. I couldn’t have, because I hadn’t felt the real
anger that was locked inside me. Now that I have, I can say I forgive
you and mean it.” This time the nun seemed to understand the message.

The aftermath of this confrontation led to Kay suffering the most intense pain. “I
felt as if my teeth were being extracted without anaesthetic and I felt
as if my whole body was being penetrated by millions of shards of
glass. My wrists and fingers were twisted in pain and it felt as if a
cement block were lodged in my chest. I screamed and begged God to take
the pain away, while memories of my school life as a small child raced
through my head. Eventually I vomited and the crying subsided. Within
days the pain left my body completely and my normal breathing returned.
The block that had weighed me down had dispersed into a million
fragments and I was totally at peace.”



There are a lot of lessons to be learned from Kay’s book. Principally,
though, it is a healing book that should bring hope and help to many
victims of depression who suffered similarly.


Dancing on the Edge’ is available in selected bookstores. Price; 11.99

Or by mail order from: Kay Forristal, Please contact me using the contact link. CONTACT US


Price E12 p&p inclusive.

You truly are a remarkable woman Kay. what glowing reports about your book.

Good luck to you, are there anymore books in the pipeline?

Take care.

I guarentee you there is nothing remarkable about me English Rose, I'm just an ordinary slogger like anyone else. But yes, to answer your question, there is a novel in the pipeline, a small novel at least, of about 400 pages, and it is a brilliant story. I hope and pray that I find a publisher for this one. I published Dancing on The Edge, myself. I have only one more chapter to write and then its ready for a second editing. I hope to publish by the end of this year, that might not happen but that is my goal. I gettwonderful encouragement from my friend, Ivory Rose, she say's its a hands down winner , we laugh and cry together at certain parts so I would like to think that other people would feel the same emotions too.

How about you? Have you written any stories? Its so simple! All you need is a pen and a copybook and to unlock your imagination and off you go.

Talk to you soon again

Hugs

Kay

Thank you for replying to my comment. I am glad you have another book in the pipeline.
I have one I had published myself ,......poetry. and have enough for another book.
It was a goal I wanted to achieve and it was endoresed by Daniel O Donnell so I
was really over the moon. As for a story I am not that good at that sort of writing
well to be perfectly honest have never tried so who knows????
Once again good luck with the book, I will look out for it.

Very well done. It's a great achievement and even lovlier to have it endorsed by Daniel. I like him too because he dares to be who he is and he is a lovely person and very sincere. When we can affirm other people, it means we carry some of thier qualities that are mirrored back to us. So Dear English Rose, that can only mean one thing! You and I are lovely people.

hUGS

kAY

I second all that you have said.


Have a lovely week-end.

i so want to read your book kay, can you tell me how to get one?
i am so proud to have you on our forum.

kimi

Hi Adele,

Thanks for stopping by. So you have Irish roots? Do you know what part of the country your ancestors hailed from? What was their surname? The book I published myself so while it had an audience in Waterford and Kerry where I came from originally (I did get it into Easons in Dublin) I believe that those who needed to read it, did. I recieved so many letters and emails though from women and men who identified with it and who I mentored on a one to one basis, and who finally chose to go for counselling - that made the book worthwhile for me.

I have another one written - a novel that is rooted in truth and its a truly powerful story!!!! I would love to find a publisher for this one and I'd love to see it go further than Ireland. I have a dear friend who is encouraging me to get it out there by hook or by crook - she laughs and cries and say's its a masterpiece because it binds the old with the new. Time will tell.

Thanks again Adele for stopping by. Hearing from you gave me an uplift.

Blessings to you

Love Kay

Dear Kay,
As I read your story I cried for all you had been through and for the misfortune of such a tragdy, to say I am sorry isn't enough. But on a pleasnant note sounds as if you are now able to go on with your life on a better note. Bless you

Ladybug

Hi Ladybug,

You are a very sensitive lady a bit like myself I might add. Thank you for stopping by to read. Yes, I am happy now and content with myself. I could even say the experience was worth it for the insight I have gained into myself. I am totally free now, thank God.

Just looking at your photo I can't believe you are 62. You look at good 10 years younger!

Blessings to you, Ladybug

Love Kay

Kay how do I obtain your book? I would love to read it.

Hope all is well with you.

Englishrose.

Hello Kay I'm so thrilled to find your own forum for thoughts, comments, postings and news of your wonderful book. I have been blessed to read it and you know already how much I was absorbed by its honesty and power. I hope many more members will have the same delight as I have in owning your book and being able to read it whenever I want to. It's a precious possession.

Love Leila xxxxx

Thanks Leila,

I only wish I could find the few books I have left. They seem to have vanished into thin air! Talk soon.

Love, Kay

Well done Kay - many congratulations - I wish you every success with Dancing on the Edge.

Thank you very much Cath, I'm afraid its run its course now but it brought healing to some so I feel I did my part. Here's hoping I get my new novel out there. It's almost finished! Thanks for dropping by.

Blessings and love

Kay

Hi my dear friend Kay. The panic attacks are horrid when you try to relive the past. But with Gods help and guidence he seems to do thing for a reason. I truely beleive you have to feel pain to understand pain. Also forgiveness is the first point in turning your life around. To contain anger is to be sad and our tormentors win. You are a lovly lady Kay and to put your words into print is a remarkable and healing thing to do. You can vent anger and hurt into the pages of a book. This will not heal the physical scars but does heal the mental ones. Love and hugs and good luck in the sale of your book love and hugs freedom xxxx

Lovely to hear from you Freedom. I posted your book on thursday so you should have it in a few days. I'm up to 90 here as my husband is seriously ill in hospital. Apart from the cancer which is back in three places - he now is in danger of losing his bowel. I brought him into the hospital midnight on fri and he's had 7 antibiotics since then. Fear is a big issue as well and we all feel it. We are dying to know what's going on and terrified to find out but I hope the inflammation will calm and they do so soon.

I know I can rely on you to send some love and courage our way, Freedom. I lit a candle for you in the church only yesterday!

Goodnight and sleep well my friend.

Lots of love

From Kay

Oh Kay I am so sorry to hear of your husbands illness and the pain he must be feeling as you as his wife. God and his angels I am sure are protecting you and him at this moment and that he will come through this. It is so painful bowel cancer but with Gods help hope he takes all the pain away so your husband can enjoy a pain free life from now. Thank you for sending the book but your priorities must be for your husband love and prayers I send to you always love and hugs your friend freedom xxxxxMay God be with you in this time of need xxxxx

Hi Freedom,

I just got in from the hospital. I stay with him all day to keep hime company because hospitals can be so depressing. John had a very rare form of cancer and had 40 tumours plus his thyroid removed last June. They told us that he didn't have cancer of the bowel then but that he had a blockage as well as severe divirticulitis. We wait to heat if that has changed. He had an xray this evening but it was so cloudy that they couldn't read it, also the bowel is draining into the liver, hence the abodmen swelling and pain but he's had 10 antibiotics since saturday so I hope that they will kick in and the inflamation start calming down soon. He's been through so much but he is a fighter and loves life to the max and I want to keep him around for as long as possible!!!! Thanks for your prayers. I really appreciate that.

Talk soon.

Lots of love

Kay

It is a great comfort to have your loved ones along side you in this time of need. Your husband is truely a fighter but with you by his side he has and angel their already to aid in his recovery love to you my friend Kay will keep praying for you and John love and hugs freedom xxxx

Aw, thanks a million Wannabeawriter, for stopping by to read. My friend and I were just talking today about the emotional abuse being every bit as bad as the physical and mental. I never thought of myself as strong - quite the opposite in fact but we are all of us stronger than we think. I am content now and quietly confident. I don't cry anymore when I look back and I don't feel the fear so that is great progress in itself. Thank you particularly for your last sentence. I hope you too are wrapped in divine love and inspiration.

Lots of love

Kay

P.S I am hoping that sometime we members can unite at some location - I don't know if its my place but sure there is no harm in asking if you would be interested in this idea?

Well done on your book Kay - I wish you every success and I think you must be very brave to write it, as it must have been unpleasant recalling those unhappy times.

Ann

Thanks a million Ann for stopping to read about my book. Parts of it were unpleasant, yes but then other memories of my childhood were just so beautiful to recall that the good nearly always outbalanced the bad. And now I'm free!
Lots of love

Kay

Kay I am holding out to read your book till I go to greece. Its so difficult because I want to pick it up and read it now. But I think when I am on my own on this lovly island I can read it in peace and appreciate all the horrors and what you overcome my dear friend hope your husband is better my dear friend love always freedom xxxx

I wish I was off to Greece with you Francis. When are you going and for how long?
ENJOY YOURSELF!

Yes, John has been very good for the last 5 days and is adapting well to the circumstanses. He's got to build himself up for the next one in July.

Lots of love

Kay

Hi Kay love and blessings to you both. Off on the 4th June for two weeks of sun and rest. I have packed your book already and cannot wait to read it. Love to you both god bless and take care of yourself as well love always freedom xxxx