I witnessed my mother be abused for years by my sisters father until she could not take it anymore. He was a terrible alcoholic whom could not control his drinking. Under normal circumstances he appeared as the family man but once alcohol was in his system he destroyed anything in his path. For the most part people sympathized with us and just blamed it on the drinking when something happened outside of our home. In other words he would not be taken serious if he picked a fight on the street because it was all talk but when he got home⦠I would be lying if I didn't tell you that it was pure hell. He would break up everything and then it was my mother's turn. I remember many times my mother getting us up in the middle of the night and seeking refuge in a friend or family members home.
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Happy Mother's Day Mom!
Mother and Baby portraitShe would call a cab; if the phone was still in tact and off we went still in pajamas to safety. We would always be received with open arms but the question to my mother would always be why do you stay? You are independent, why don't you leave him? Now since this seminar, it's so much clearer.
To make a long story short, when I was about seven and my sister was about two, my mother strategically planned and moved us out of our apartment while my stepfather was working. With help from friends and family the apartment had been left totally stripped minus his personal belongings and this was my mothers first and greatest attempt at her sanity and our livelihood. He had totally drained my mother in every sense and on that day she took her life back and our healing process began.
Waiting on the porch on Mother's Day 2007
Young Woman Mother with Daughter Girl
Queen Wilhelmina & Juliana