My mother couldn't and didn't want to remain in a relationship that was abusive and oppressive. Her mother taught her to "obey your man", but that didn't mean she would have to subject herself to a life of physical abuse and mental torment.
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Stop Domestic Violence and Abuse as a Abstract
Stop Domestic Violence and Abuse as a Abstract

October is Domestic violence month. This piece is dedicated to the survivors. May you find strength to move forward!

I love food. The colors of fresh spring fruits, the tantalizing smell of steak searing on a summer grill, the medley of oven-roasted vegetables (squash, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes with a sprinkle of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil) in fall and winter are some of my favorites. Yes, I really love food and it provides me, and likely most of us, with a certain level of comfort and satisfaction. Many of our global cultures and traditions are also enhanced and even revolve around food. These occasions can create truly long lasting memories, good and bad.

In my early life, much of the things I still remember today were based around food. At the age of 4, I almost choked to death on a fish bone. It was a small piece and my mother thought all the bones had been removed. To this day, I eat fish with timid trepidation. Aside from the fish faux pas, my mother was a good cook. She was the youngest of 9 children (8 girls and 1 boy) and was raised in small rural community in North Carolina. Growing up in the late 40s and early 50s, she was taught at an early age to obey your man!

At the age of 15, my mother was pregnant with my older sister and wed an army serviceman (my father) from a neighboring town. He was 12 years older and rumored to be quite the lady's man. Being wed to my father was my mother's ticket out of this small close-minded town and a future for a better life, at least that's what she thought. My father was accustomed to having things a certain way (his) and as long as he had his drink(s) and meals on the table when he got home, life was tolerable. If he was unhappy, life was very unpleasant for my mother. Now enter baby number two, me.

My mother tried to shelter my sister and me from the volatile impacts of our home life but she couldn't control sound escaping through the thinly insulated walls of our apartment. Screams and arguments, though muffled, have no boundaries and living in military housing, our neighbors became peripheral participants in our family struggles. The "mornings-after" were often filled with awkward silences at breakfast. If my father were present, there was little eye-contact between he and my mother. The neighboring wives acted as counselor and confidant while my sister and I played in the distance. As for family support, my aunts were of no help. They blamed my mother for all our family's woes, "just obey your man" they would say. At ages 6 & 5, my sister and I weren't blind to what was going on and we sensed the tensions between our parents. We just didn't really understand what was and what had been happening for some time.

Then one Sunday evening our mother made the most mouth watering golden savory fried chicken dinner. It was served with mashed potatoes and gravy, and mixed vegetables (peas and carrots). The whole house smelled of this delicious bounty. We were just sitting down to dinner when the harsh reality of the moment suddenly and violently hit home. Out of nowhere, and before our eyes, my father slapped my mother across her face. My sister and I reacted in horror by what had just happened. In defense of our mother, my we began throwing food at my father as a feeble attempt to defuse the fight. Feeling blood pooling on her lips, my mother had had enough. She snapped, and for the first time, she hit him back. Intending to land another blow at my mother, my father inadvertently hit me instead. The neighbors having had their fill of this drama, called the (military) police. When the MPs arrived, my father was taken away.

This dinner set the stage for the final act between our parents. Shortly after this evening, they separated and later divorced. My mother couldn't and didn't want to remain in a relationship that was abusive and oppressive. Her mother taught her to "obey your man", but that didn't mean she would have to subject herself to a life of physical abuse and mental torment. She deserved better and decided to take a chance on life's uncertainty and raise us kids (now 3) on her own. It wasn't easy and there was now the battle for alimony. After a time on food stamps and a stint of odd jobs, my mother landed on her feet. She would never let anyone lay a hand on her or us kids again.

Now some forty-five years later, the memories of that night still stirs sadness and even a bit of anger. My mother was lucky and found the courage and strength to move forward. Other victims aren't always so fortunate and pay for their love with their lives. She never had the support of her family or of an organization such as Bradley Angle to help provide resources or safe housing for victims of domestic violence.

Love should never hurt.

Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

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