It feels like
only yesterday I held my baby girl in my arms, then again it also feels like a
lifetime ago. Time has a strange way of confusing me like this, flying by while
standing still in my memories.
When cleaning the
other day, I found this photo of me holding my daughter--it had fallen behind a
cupboard, probably years ago. (A sad indication of how often I clean behind my
cupboards!)
How I adored her,
and still do. I thought she was the most beautiful baby girl in the world and
imagined her perfect life to come: she would do well at school, get a good job
and marry a handsome, wonderful man.
She was a well
behaved baby, sleeping through the night at only six weeks old, never making a
fuss. Little did I know that life is simple when they are tiny and it gets a whole
lot more complicated as they grow up and the plans go off the rails.
We’ve weathered
all kinds of issues over the years and my heart has broken for her more than
once when she’s had to overcome problems, especially a marriage to a
controlling, psychologically abusive man.
I’ve never been
more proud of her than the day she said enough is enough and took back her
power and walked out on him, knowing full well he would make her life as
difficult as possible. I helped her through her acrimonious divorce and I’m over
the moon now she has finally gone to college to finish her education, something
he stopped her from doing.
It took her a
number of years but she has recovered her confidence, taken back her life and
is forging ahead. She is studying art and the beautiful, big colorful canvasses
she paints are a joy to behold.
I rarely talk
about family issues, especially when there are troubles, but right now I am happy
for her and optimistic for the future, more so than ever before.
I was amazingly naïve
before my daughter married. I’d never come across a man who treated his
wife/partner that way. This experience has influenced how I look at the world
and worked its way into my fiction. Has anything, good or bad, happened in your
life that had a huge, life-changing impact on you?
Helen
lives in South West England near Plymouth in Devon between the windswept
expanse of Dartmoor and the rocky Atlantic coast. As well as her wonderful,
long-suffering husband, she shares her home with a Westie and a burmilla cat.
Helen has one of her Army Doctor stories in the Ten
Brides for Ten Hot Guys boxed set. (This set includes both sweet and steamy
books.) Find Helen on FaceBook
and Twitter, or visit her website.
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