We Didn't Forget When Relatives and Friends Were Used and Abused
They didn't want us to remind them of what we saw growing up. They pretended as if things hadn't happened. They changed the subject, acted busy, or walked away. Some of them stopped talking to us and got other relatives to distance themselves from us. The truth hurt and it still hurts for many! We were there when their parents and grandparents did their dirt or we heard about it. We were told to keep our mouths shut, to pretend as if nothing happened, and to "mind your business!" When I grew older, and I got opportunities to talk with family members and friends, who had witnessed and/or experienced their share of abuses, they didn't hesitate to come clean after certain people had passed away. They knew they had been gaslighted and threatened into submission. They reasoned it was best that people didn't know about their loved ones being hurt by favorite relatives. However, I wasn't one for letting it all just wash away especially when some people w