Family Event

As years go by and memories grow, one certain day stands frozen in time.  I had just turned eighteen years old.  I had kept a dark secret hidden from my family for too long.  Not that I wanted to, but because of the severity of it.  I was embarrassed, scared, but mostly sadden.  My mother walked in my room to tell me good night and I asked her if she loved me.  She said of course.  As she walked away, I asked if I may speak with her.  I tried holding my tears in, but it had been too long.  I cried and cried until I had no more tears.  I told her everything that I could remember, even the ones I tried to forget. When I was molested long ago, she asked me why I had not spoken to her about it when it happened.  All I could tell her was that I was trying to pretend it never happened.  She was so furious. She was not mad at me, but at the persons responsible for hurting her little girl.  Those horrible people took my innocence away long ago, but not my childhood.  To this day, I do not fear anybody, especially men.  I have my mother to thank for that.

 Since that night, my mother reassured me that those horrible people will never step foot in our house again.  And that if it were up to her, they would be dead.  From that point on, I grew stronger mentally and physically.  I devoted myself to helping kids in any way I could and what a best when then becoming a teacher.  Even though what happen to me was horrible, I did not let it bring me down.  After the night I spoke to my mother, I felt a huge urge of guilt leave my body.  Guilty because I had lied to myself that nothing ever happened to me.  I did not say anything because I thought it was my fault, but because I was bewildered as to what had happen and why.  Why me?  I wondered that for ten plus years and finally I got answer.  I am a better person today because of what I went through; however, I think I still would have been the same person had it not happened.  Regardless, I love who I am and the things I do.  My mother taught me to be: strong, poise, persistent and honest.  I think I have done all of those and more.