Yesterday, I recieved and read Bryan's book, "Have You Seen My Mother?" and that book effected me so deeply and profoundly, that I don't think I'll ever quite be the same person I was before. It's like one of those defining moments in your life...it will never leave me. I wish that I was close enough to give Bryan a hug in person and wish somehow that I could give back to him his lost childhood.
I know that many of us have sad childhoods to remember or try not to remember and it should make us all strive to be better parents and grandparents. We should step in should we ever see a situation that we feel isn't right and at least make sure that kids are safe and o.k.
My son recently saw a woman beating her son in a parking lot with a tennis racket, but was in a hurry to get somewhere. He has deeply regretted that he didn't call 911 or even go stop her! It is still haunting him, but he has now resolved that should he ever encounter that again he will step in and do something.
That book brought back so many memories of how Witness kids were treated growing up in the "truth." I can only speak of the 60's, as that's when I was a kid, but we were treated to a lot of cruel and unusual punishment. (There were a few good kids that had loving parents, but I think they were the minority.) It was expected that kids work hard, with little time for play, and then all those meetings, service, and home studies. We were expected to excel at school as well...my brothers all brought home straight A's and were commended, but no less than that was expected. Then I came along and got a B...no one said anything, just shook their heads!!! (All A's and 1 B...oh the shame of it!)
Everyone was expected to BEAT their children...if they were good...just make something up! Kids needed to be BEAT! I remember having to wear clothes that covered up my bruises and marks. Today, that would land parents in jail!
Almost every meeting, some kid would be taken out and beat so loudly we'd all hear the screams. No one did a thing! Just went on with that DAMN MEETING like nothing was happening.
I was a runner though. By that I mean that I learned to run when the going got tough. I figured that I'd just as soon get it when I got home after being gone a few hours (maybe they'd have cooled off by then!) and I could play outside until dark and then go in and get it! I'm sure that's why I won either 1st or 2nd place in running competitions at school. See how that helped me out??? (Why get beat early and lose out on precious daylight?) It was mostly my dad that dished out the beatings and I don't think I ever remember why I got it! Sometimes he lined us all up in a row and beat us all, one by one. My two oldest brothers finally had enough one day and took my dad down...that pretty much ended all the beatings!!! (I was ready to lend a hand if needed, actually I had hoped to get a punch in!)
Bryan I wish I could go door-to-door right behind the Witnesses with your book!!!
Swalker