When I, Taye Bela Corby, was younger I felt like I lived in a nut house. The people I depended upon emotionally (my parents) could not provide the nurturing I needed. From a very early age I took on the responsibility of taking care of them. How that looked for me as a young child was that I did everything I possibly could to make sure my parents did not get angry at me. While I tried my hardest, that approach really didn’t work. Usually what I had to say was met with misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Most of the conclusions I came to were something like, “I am inadequate and should not speak out,” or more specifically, “What I have to say doesn’t matter.”
What I have learned during the past 73 years is that I have survived all the wrongful behaviors that I was blamed for. My parents' inability to find peace within themselves (and each other) must have been such a difficult dilemma for them. It took many years for me to forgive them. It has taken a lifetime for me to forgive myself for believing I was trapped, and for taking on the distorted views of other people. What I know today, is that the sensitive, spiritually-aware, young person is still here within me. She has withstood the oppositional behavior that I have used to disguise my hurt.
The things that nourish me these days are: hiking, writing, spending time with my hubby and my adult sons and their families, and visiting friends both locally and in faraway places. Jax, our Chocolate Labrador puppy, is helping me heal from a lifetime fear of dogs.
I've written two books with the same title: The Boy with the Big Ear. One is a picture book for children, ages 4-9; the other is the original longer version, for children, ages 8-13. This children’s story was the culmination of my work as a Montessori teacher for 20 years, teaching children as young as age three various ways to resolve conflict.
Since retiring as a Montessori teacher, I have been certified as an EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) practitioner, and I am licensed as an Art of Feminine Presence Level II teacher, Gene Keys Ambassador and Relationship Model of Addiction Advanced Student. I have facilitated Optimal EFT groups (an advanced EFT practice created by Gary Craig, founder of EFT). I enjoy leading heart circles and working with private clients as I continue to advance my professional development.
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