Michael, a great article and connection but I don’t know about your last paragraph. Trauma will happen to people and children will continue to be neglected and abused. Has it ever changed? or will it?

My grandmother was 12 when she came to the U.S. with her 9 year old sister. Torn from her parents and 5 brothers in Russia, they came here in 1921 to live with cousins, but really were strangers. They didn’t know the language nor the customs and were told that it was because of the war (the end of WWI) that it wasn’t safe for them to stay. It wasn’t, but little kinds don’t get that. My grandmother’s family were brutally massacred by the Ukrainians, the Nazi’s puppets.

My grandmother remained a bitter woman throughout her life. After the birth of my aunt, she swore not to have another child. She contracted phlebitis and nearly lost her legs so when she became pregnant with my mom, she became even more bitter.

My mother told me never did she hear the words “I love you” from her mom. At the end of the day, my grandmother read her a list of all the horrible things she did and what a terrible person she was. My mother was saved, oddly, but incredibly good looks. People were naturally attracted to her and eventually it brought her out of her shell.

She swore to never treat her children like this. To have compassion, love, caring and nurturing. Was she a perfect mom? No way! But she was a good mom. Still is!

My mother is almost 80 now. She finally wrote a book about her experiences as a kid growing up in the shadow of immigrant parents. I don’t know Alice Walker’s story, but I’m sure there is one to be so harsh to her child. I hope Rebecca Walker can find some comfort from something in her mother or maybe just know that this thing will never happen to her own child.