The driving force to tell my story came to me as my counselor proclaimed, beaming from ear to ear like a proud parent, that I had “done it!” Instead of feeling pleased about my accomplishment, I was angry. For 24 years, I had been deceived; I had bought into the lie that I could not face the past. But as I stood on the other side looking back on what seemed like the Valley of Death, I saw nothing but a smokescreen and a heroic image of myself.

For me, the journey took years, and the sorrow melted away slowly. My only hesitation in sharing my story is knowing that there are others in this world that have suffered worse. It is not my intention that you feel sympathy for me, I have benefited greatly from my experiences on the road life led me down. If this book causes you uneasiness, then I am thankful your soul has been stirred and your spirit awakened to the truth about the impact of abuse on a child. The original purpose of this book was to provide hope to those who are forced to reconcile with a painful past, to those that make the courageous effort to heal. However, it is also my intention to educate the general population about child abuse, to be a voice for those whose voices are too faint to be heard.

There are actual events that happened that now I feel are more pertinent to complete the actual storyline. These events are included in this telling and the movie script that I am now in the process of writing. I live in the Southwest and have been in a happy marriage for almost 30 years to the man that played a significant role in my life, helping me learn to love myself and him. I have always loved others. My faith is a foundational aspect of my existence in a world that doesn’t always foster love. But love was always a part of my life, a part even a difficult father couldn’t touch.