A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MOTHER'S DAY

TODAY IS MOTHER'S DAY AND I THINK OF THE CEMETARY PLOT IN INDIANA.  THE ONE UNDER THE PINE TREE WHERE LISA AND MY SON, MICHAEL ARE BURIED.  SOMETIMES WHILE RAISING LISA'S GIRLS, I WOULD GO AND SIT ON THE GRAVESITE AND TALK TO THEM.  I AM ALSO REMINDED OF ANOTHER MOTHER'S DAY BACK IN THE DAYS OF FLEEING FROM ALAN MATHENEY.  WE WERE IN AN OFF-THE- ROAD MOTEL IN MICHIGAN.  WHEN I WOKE UP, LISA AND THE GIRLS WERE GONE. HOW LISA GOT THE TWO GIRLS UP AND LEFT WITH THEM WITHOUT WAKING ME SEEMS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.  THEY RETURNED FROM MCDONALD'S WITH BREAKFAST SANDWICHES AND COFFEE AND JUICE AND MILK FOR THE GIRLS.  THEY WERE FIVE AND THREE.  WE ALWAYS TOLD THEM WE WERE ON VACATION WHEN WE WERE RUNNING AND NEVER GAVE THEM THE NAME OF THE TOWN BECAUSE THEY MIGHT TELL SOMEONE WHO KNEW ALAN.  LISA PRESENTED ME WITH A BEAUTIFUL FLORAL MUG SHE HAD SECRETLY BOUGHT FOR ME.  I WILL ALWAYS TREASURE IT.

  I SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOUR MOTHER'S DAY MEMORIES ARE NEVER TRAGIC    NEVER,  NEVER, NEVER THINK THAT IT CANNOT HAPPEN TO YOU OR YOURS.  PLEASE LEARN FROM LISA'S STORY.  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
MILLIE