"Only those of us who have walked on sharp stones can tell others what it is like. Shelly Knox, the author of this book, has been thrown down on such stones. She has known such a path all her fifty-four years.
In this life, no one gets a prize for those who suffered the most. There is no thick skin to cover the innocence of a child. The inward retreat of a constantly abused child knows almost no relief.
As I read this book, my caring heart feels her earliest wounds. I started teaching Latin to Shelly in fifth grade when she was nine years old. Her ebony skin shone. A child with nowhere to turn. There was no unconditional love, no safety for her from any family, but she did have a few friends, not many, from the neighborhood. That could help her out somewhat in her time of trouble.
Such an intolerable life does produce an extreme need for relief, even an exit strategy. As a child, Shelly began to look for ways to take her life.
Her years of courage continue now into a now-loving grandmother whose work as a caretaker for seniors is a miracle daily. The shackles of PTSD still rattle, but close memories of grace and survival see her through.
>JAMES VILLAREAL, June 12, 2021