The pressure of women who are physically and mentally abused by the men in their lives is sickening. I would not be even commenting on this growing problem had I not lived through this with my mom in my early teenage years. Watching her wear turtleneck, long sleeve sweaters in the heat of the summer to hide the bruses and scratches so she could go to work, are still very vividly pictured in my mind. Us three kids were were at the receiving end of his drunken explosions as well.

I write this piece not only for her, but for a special woman that came into my life and that I love very much. Her abuser has now been gone from her and her childrens lives for the most part, for a few years now, but the emotional scars are very much alive inside her and her children.

It took my mom quite a long time to trust men again, but I am happy to report she found her "knight in shining" armor and spent 25 glorious years with this incredible man until her passing a little over a year ago. She never forgot though.

I wrote this for, not only these two incredible women, but all the thousands of women across the world that deal with this barbaric act every day. May they find peace within themselves and the strength to overcome. My prayers go out to all of you!

All of this is my opinion of course...

but I believe it's a damm good one.