You know that pile of "stuff" on your kitchen table. The one you need to go through and organize, sort, throw out. The one that you keep on your table so you will remember to go through and organize, sort, throw out. The one, that after a few weeks/months, actually becomes invisible. You forget it is there. You are so used to seeing it that it no longer stands out as "out of the ordinary". It becomes part of your every day life, that your eyes get used to seeing and it no longer jumps out at you as something "out of place".
When I read this article...I wondered how someone, a mother, could do this to their child. How someone could have so little care and compassion for their child that it turns into this. As I continued to read, and it is LONG...but so worth it, at the end there is a brief update on the mother and her "explanation" on the situation. Not only did she herself have issues, but what seemed to have started out as a well meaning and loving mother, got so watered down with excuses and denying thoughts that the issues became invisible. They no longer seemed to be issues because they blended in so much with the every day life. And day after day, it slowly got worse to the point that living in that kind of environment no longer seemed "out of the ordinary." She seemed to have gotten used to the sight and the way things were and no one was there to point out the pile that was on the kitchen table for months and that it needed to be addressed or handled or helped.
It scares me to think there are people out there that get so deep and do not realize it. Or they do, and are too deep to think anyone would care or that if they asked for help, they would get in trouble.
I kept imagining Miss J, and how she is currently developing and growing and learning. Talking, counting, singing, hugging. Some of those things are just innate and come natural, but most of those things need to be nurtured and developed. And what if those things are not nurtured and developed during this time period. Your brain develops not knowing how to do these things, until you are 7yrs old. A crazy, crazy thought. Scary. But on the same note, this article shows me so much love and compassion and hope. God is good. God speaks to those who don't think they have it in them and tells them to take this girl in, and love her and nurture her.
I bawled. I bawled at work for about 20 minutes reading this. My heart was filled with so much emotion and tossed feelings of anger, and hatred, and hurt, and love, and hope. Wow...
So please read when you have time. As I said, it is not short, but it will be worth it to spend the time.
The Girl...Window
8 comments:
Wow. That was such an - interesting - story. It was quite long and I kept getting interrupted and then aggrevated with all the interruptions. LOL I just do not know what to think!
I read the story too and it absolutely broke my heart. I hugged Aiden extra hard when I got home that night and just can't imagine the life you could lead that would allow you to get to that point.
I cannot imagine a time in my life where I would ever treat a child this way. This story is incredibly powerful. Thank you for sharing it.
BTW - I think my kitchen table must look like yours :-)
I read the article and couldn't believe it! It was long but I honestly couldn't stop reading. It is so scary to think that their are children out there being treated so terribly!
I agree that God is amazing and that this new family was a blessing for her... but at the same time, I can't help but think "I wish it were legal to stone a person." The birth mother obviously has issues far greater than anyone could imagine. Thank God she's ok now.
You know, I live in the same area of FL where this story took place and I am shocked it was never in the media till now. Our child welfare agencies obviously leave much to be desired.
Thank you for sharing this. It is so incredibly sad. I was especially interested because the couple that adopted her lives in my area.
That's nauseating and heart-breaking and so ... infuriating all at the same time. How some people can have such apathy toward another living thing is scary. I'm glad she made it out alive, that poor little girl.
I saw your post on Angela's blog - send me an e-mail and I'll get you an invite. I'm at dishfromtrish@gmail.com
Wow, that is just insane. That a child can live in those conditions for that long of a time period and nobody knew. That a Mom can be that horrible of a person.
I am so thankful that her parents adopted her and are giving her the life she deserved all along. I really hope she continues to progress, and someday, maybe, has a normal life like she should have always had.
SO SAD.
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