Ruined
A self-fulfilling prophecy ...13 total reviews
Comment from Brett Matthew West
Facts never tell the complete story. So true, and sometimes they even hurt those involved. Crimes against children are some of the worst and need to be revealed. Enjoyable read.
reply by the author on 25-Jan-2023
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Facts never tell the complete story. So true, and sometimes they even hurt those involved. Crimes against children are some of the worst and need to be revealed. Enjoyable read.
Comment Written 26-Feb-2020
reply by the author on 25-Jan-2023
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Brett, thank you for reading this. My response is so late! Last couple of years have been difficult and decidedly weird. Don't know why but everything hit me. Bud's passing, even though it was year 3 and 4 .. issues from my own life.
Anyway, I'm back and it was so nice to find a review! I appreciate you.
Comment from Pam Norris
I found this piece incredibly sad. Your cousin was doing her best to help in a child like way. I hope you have received lots of love and support in your adult years.
reply by the author on 10-Feb-2020
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I found this piece incredibly sad. Your cousin was doing her best to help in a child like way. I hope you have received lots of love and support in your adult years.
Comment Written 10-Feb-2020
reply by the author on 10-Feb-2020
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Pam - Thank you for the review and the kind words. Yes, I have had support on this. I wrote this only because I'm being led to write my memoirs ? and I'm convinced I need to put the bad in with the good. I've had some incredibly rich experiences as well and been blessed by God over and over. Those good things came out of the bad things (beauty for ashes, as the scriptures say).
God bless and my best,
Relda
Comment from lyenochka
Oh my! Your story took me in all kinds of emotional directions! I was first indignant at the callous attitude of the parents then remembered that parents of that generation were likely to blame the child when molested. It's so horrible to think about how victims were treated but glad that the molester was convicted as so many never were. Then I was surprised at the attack on your doll and without even knowing about psychology your cousin helped you heal by directing the focus to caring for your doll's injury. Really well written. Virtual six from me!
reply by the author on 08-Feb-2020
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Oh my! Your story took me in all kinds of emotional directions! I was first indignant at the callous attitude of the parents then remembered that parents of that generation were likely to blame the child when molested. It's so horrible to think about how victims were treated but glad that the molester was convicted as so many never were. Then I was surprised at the attack on your doll and without even knowing about psychology your cousin helped you heal by directing the focus to caring for your doll's injury. Really well written. Virtual six from me!
Comment Written 07-Feb-2020
reply by the author on 08-Feb-2020
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Hi lyenochka,
I appreciate your summary and comments so much. Those were different times and different attitudes. Letha was always able to see what was going on (even at 6 years old!) and she was bold enough to react how she felt. Me well I internalized, which is not good for a person's health. It was so good to write about this.
Relda
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So glad you survived that rough childhood. I think most of us writers internalize. ♥
Comment from BeasPeas
Hi Relda. Well written. I read the story through twice. It's terrible what lengths adults go to in hiding their own sins against children. What is probably worse, is the rest of the family trying to hush it up. An awful thing for a little kid to endure. Writing about these things is a catharsis of sorts. At least I hope that it is. Marilyn
reply by the author on 08-Feb-2020
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Hi Relda. Well written. I read the story through twice. It's terrible what lengths adults go to in hiding their own sins against children. What is probably worse, is the rest of the family trying to hush it up. An awful thing for a little kid to endure. Writing about these things is a catharsis of sorts. At least I hope that it is. Marilyn
Comment Written 06-Feb-2020
reply by the author on 08-Feb-2020
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Writing helps a lot, Marilyn, although I cringe when I think some of the family might read this, someone who didn't know about it either. I was feel really bad if it hurt anyone.
But helps me most, is the thought that some who reads this, might relate and be helped by it.
Relda
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Relda. You have nothing to feel bad about. Let the chips fall where they may. Hugs, Marilyn
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Relda. You have nothing to feel bad about. Let the chips fall where they may. Hugs, Marilyn
Comment from Susan Larson
Wow! What a childhood and what memories. I was physically and emotionally abused. Sixty years later I'm still struggling with it, even with therapy. I commend you for the way you have handled all this. This was a very compelling memoir.
reply by the author on 06-Feb-2020
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Wow! What a childhood and what memories. I was physically and emotionally abused. Sixty years later I'm still struggling with it, even with therapy. I commend you for the way you have handled all this. This was a very compelling memoir.
Comment Written 06-Feb-2020
reply by the author on 06-Feb-2020
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Susan - it's amazing how many of us there are. Thanks for letting me know you personally relate (though I am so sorry your experience is so similar).
We 'old ladies' need to stick together. Maybe we've got a few gems of wisdom to share with the youngsters.
God bless and my best,
Relda
Comment from BethShelby
This is quite a story and you are very brave to relive in this post, but I think it's good to get it on paper. A terrible thing happened to you and you probably would have benefited from canceling when you were a child. I feel sad that you named your story Ruined. I remember that word from the fifties. I think people of that day saw it that way and the victim should not have had to live with that. You story is written with heartbreaking detail. A lot of us have ghosts from our childhood, we have try to outlive. I think writing is one way many people deal with it.
reply by the author on 06-Feb-2020
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This is quite a story and you are very brave to relive in this post, but I think it's good to get it on paper. A terrible thing happened to you and you probably would have benefited from canceling when you were a child. I feel sad that you named your story Ruined. I remember that word from the fifties. I think people of that day saw it that way and the victim should not have had to live with that. You story is written with heartbreaking detail. A lot of us have ghosts from our childhood, we have try to outlive. I think writing is one way many people deal with it.
Comment Written 06-Feb-2020
reply by the author on 06-Feb-2020
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Hi, Beth,
Writing this was very cathartic. Thank you so much for letting me know you also recognized the 'attitude of the day' in the fifties. I'm writing my memoirs ? thought long-and-hard about only including the good/funny happenings in my life. But that is a very slanted view of my life. Many of the good/funny events only happened as a direct result of the bad/not funny events.
God bless and my best,
Relda
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Good for you. Life if full of both good and bad. I'm telling both in my story as well.
Comment from Rikki66
I am sorry that this is a memoir and not fiction. This is a story too often told but is one of the reasons that what they taught kids in school is at least partially in error. Stranger Danger. It is a friends family and acquaintances that is the danger
RikkLXVI,
reply by the author on 06-Feb-2020
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I am sorry that this is a memoir and not fiction. This is a story too often told but is one of the reasons that what they taught kids in school is at least partially in error. Stranger Danger. It is a friends family and acquaintances that is the danger
RikkLXVI,
Comment Written 06-Feb-2020
reply by the author on 06-Feb-2020
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Rikki -You are so right about adding people you know to the list of potential violators.
I appreciate your reading this and giving me your insight.
God bless and my best,
Relda
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The read was my pleasure.
Blessings
RikkiLXVI
Comment from Debbie Pope
I will try not to gush over your writing style this time. I do love it though. I will make sure not to miss a page of your memoir. It is fascinating, and I have much to learn from your style. You let your story unfold slowly, building suspense. And that's just part of your talent.
I am reading another memoir called Educated. It's probably the best book that I have ever read. The author's style reminds me of yours. You should definitely read it.
reply by the author on 06-Feb-2020
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I will try not to gush over your writing style this time. I do love it though. I will make sure not to miss a page of your memoir. It is fascinating, and I have much to learn from your style. You let your story unfold slowly, building suspense. And that's just part of your talent.
I am reading another memoir called Educated. It's probably the best book that I have ever read. The author's style reminds me of yours. You should definitely read it.
Comment Written 06-Feb-2020
reply by the author on 06-Feb-2020
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Debbie, again, thank you for your encouragement. I will look for Educated, I guess it would be available through Amazon?
God bless and my best,
Relda
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It's "Educated: a Memoir" by Tara Westover. My daughter gave it to me for Christmas, but I saw it on Amazon.
Comment from estory
We really get the family drama and the frustrations of the young child caught in the middle of it, in this narrative. I think it would make a good short story or novelette, if you flesh out the characters and put us a little more in the middle of the action instead of listening to the descriptions second hand. The scene of the little girl biting off the fingers of the doll was a stand out. So was the blood in the toilet. We just need to get a little closer to the characters. estory
reply by the author on 06-Feb-2020
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We really get the family drama and the frustrations of the young child caught in the middle of it, in this narrative. I think it would make a good short story or novelette, if you flesh out the characters and put us a little more in the middle of the action instead of listening to the descriptions second hand. The scene of the little girl biting off the fingers of the doll was a stand out. So was the blood in the toilet. We just need to get a little closer to the characters. estory
Comment Written 06-Feb-2020
reply by the author on 06-Feb-2020
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You are absolutely right, and I appreciate your comments, in particular about getting in the middle of the action and getting closer to the characters. It's totally weird that sixty-four years later I still feel raw about this. I know it came off as a narrative, which is too detached. Writing this was cathartic, and should help me put in place the things you noted on future stories.
Oh, thank you so much about making a short story or novelette - that is so encouraging.
God bless and my best,
Relda
Comment from Stephanie Paige
Relda, I am so sorry about the trauma you endured. You describe it in a way that the reader can interpret what happened to you without you fully saying it. Thank you for sharing.
reply by the author on 06-Feb-2020
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Relda, I am so sorry about the trauma you endured. You describe it in a way that the reader can interpret what happened to you without you fully saying it. Thank you for sharing.
Comment Written 06-Feb-2020
reply by the author on 06-Feb-2020
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Stephanie, thank you so much for your kind words and insight.
God bless and my best,
Relda
