It Takes a Village to Harbor Failings

It takes one to traumatize a child

*Trigger Warning for domestic violence references*

I used to walk alone at nighttime. And there was always a tinge of danger in the air to be felt at each instance, but not enough to actually stop me from taking those leisurely steps around the perimeter of the pond. I wasn't afraid of tripping in the dark and falling into the black water; it seemed like the lesser of suffering when compared to what I was literally walking away from: dysfunction. In my family, making its waves through us all and disturbing only my peace because of what all had been quietly tolerated as normal by everyone else.