AFTER MY SON HIT ME, I SET THE LACE
Recognition of Harm
The narrator recalls the moment violence shattered denial:
“I did not cry out when my son struck me.”
The ordinary kitchen became a turning point as she realized
he no longer saw her as his mother but “as an obstacle.”
Years of ignored anger and fear had crossed an irreversible line.
Clarity After Silence
A sleepless night brought understanding.
She recognized that “Silence had not protected us,”
and endurance was mistaken for love.
Exhaustion, not anger, pushed her toward change.
Choosing Accountability
By morning, deliberate action replaced avoidance.
When witnesses arrived, their presence ended his control.
The message was firm: love would no longer excuse harm.
Redefining Love
After he left, support helped her name the abuse.
She remained a mother, but one who sets boundaries.
“Love, I learned, does not ask us to disappear.”
