I woke up in a sweat last night, with tears streaming down my face. My heart was pumping through my chest and I was curled up into a ball. This happens from time to time for me, it's normal. Well, it's my normal. I took a deep breath and tried to push back the dream, the nightmare, the memory.
When I was young and naive I thought my life was normal. I thought everyone lived in silence, in fear. I thought my bruises and the harsh words thrown at me were my fault for not being a good girl. Surely I wasn't the only one being tied up and left in a hot room alone because I didn't do a good enough job when I cleaned the dishes. Every ones dad likes to shower with their daughters, that's normal, right?
Now that I know this and many other things I went through were not normal I wonder why anyone could have let my brother and I live that way. I went to school with bruises and black eyes. Social services were called frequently by neighbors who would hear us crying and screaming for help. Then we would move, to a new area where no one would ask questions, for a while. Why didn't the teachers speak up? Why did people not say something to my dad when they saw him openly hit us in public? Why did the Social workers always give him just one more chance?
I write this for the purpose of making people aware of what is going on in the world around them. Please, we need to change. If you are a teacher, a neighbor or a bystander do not turn a blind eye to these children. They need you more than you will ever know. Their spirits are weak and they need your strength. If you have children, look into their sweet eyes. Think about their smile, their laugh. Think of their sweet spirits and innocence. There are people and parents abusing children of all ages, taking their innocence and everything precious from them. Treat these children the way you treat your own. Do not just stand by and feel sorry for them, stand up for them!
If you are someone that is being abused or has been abused, my heart hurts for you. Know that my prayers go out to you and to soften the heart of your abuser everyday. Turn to the Lord to help ease your burdens. Most of all, get out! Find someone you trust and get out of that situation as soon as possible. You are smart, you are strong, you are beautiful/handsome and you have more worth than you know. There is another world out there that is kind and loving, seek after it.
I am so grateful for the special person in my life who gave me the strength with the shortest and most simple of letters to get out. Because that person had the courage to tell me I am strong enough to get out of the situation, I believe she truly saved me. She gave me a life that I could have only dreamed of growing up. I hope that we can all learn to be more like her. Helping those that need our help even when it may inconvenience or be hard for us.
The last thing I ask is that you love all children (and people in general). I am not going to hold my breath and wait for a change in the states system. It is up to all of us to try to compensate for these children who get lost in the never ending statement of: "I will give you one more chance to prove you won't abuse your child, again." You have no idea what any child is going through. Their parent, the person who is suppose to love them the most, could be tearing them down at home. We need to be building children up. Be kind, be understanding, be slow to judge and quick to help. Listen to them, you could be giving them more love and hope than anyone else ever has.
