February 16--Persistence Is Not Always A Good Thing

And when you get down to it, that's the only purpose grand enough for a human life. Not just to love--but to persist in love.  --Sue Monk Kidd

    I believe that in general, it is a lofty goal to persist in love--"till death do us part" and all that. 

    However, over the years I have seen several instances of persisting where there was actually major abuse going on and kept hidden. Some of the abuse was physical; all of it was emotional and psychological. Children have often been in the range of it, whether or not they were the target. The abuse went on much longer than it should have, for reasons such as "till death do us part," "maybe he/she will change," "I'm ashamed to let anyone know what has been going on," or "if only I were a better person, the abuse would stop." Big load of bullshit there. 

    I wonder what enables a human to think he/she has the right to abuse another? Such abuse is a CHOICE. They say those who have been abused are likely to abuse others. It is STILL a choice. I was emotionally abused for years in my family of origin, and I have not made it my mission to take that out on anyone else. 

    NO ONE deserves abuse. 

        Leta

Hoping to see some of these adorables
in the next few weeks!