Spring is beginning to bring its warmth and with it - thoughts of renewal and rebirth - the life-giving heat of the sun, the bounty and beauty of the gardens to come. The frozen silence of winter replaced by the laughter of my two little friends across the courtyard as they play tag and ride their tricycles around our center island outside my door.For the past two weeks (and for many weeks to come) I have been spending every day inside a shelter for battered woman and their children. To feel the pain and anxiety. To look at eyes blackened by the very person purporting to love and cherish us - unthinkable!! We have room for 46 souls in our shelter and every night we have been full and many nights we have a waiting list. My own soul is heavy and yet, my spirit is soothed to know that for the women and children in the shelter, they have found safety and a place to rest themselves for the journey and heavy work ahead.
For me, right now, this time of rebirth means so much as I help to clear a space where these women and their children, supported by the amazing staff at the shelter, can continue to create a future for our children and for themselves. Keep us all in your hearts during this weekend of rebirth and new beginnings.
My daughter-in-law worked in such a shelter for a few years. Even the secrecy that she had to have to not enable the 'abusers' to hurt her was amazing. We just don't realize how awful some people can be. That work is hard for someone to do more than a few years as it can be very very depressing-- most especially according to her of the women who went back. I have known two women who had to use such a vehicle to get out of their private hell and neither went back; so people can escape and it is right what you are saying that it's a blessing such places allow new starts and protection while the women and sometimes children are reevaluating what comes next
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