My Mother And The Ambiguity Of Abuse

By Elena Kristof

Several weeks ago, I found myself mingling about a deserted playground with a couple of my closest women friends. With our backs to a creaky swing set and our bare feet in the sandbox, we suddenly — and rather appropriately given our kiddie surroundings — began discussing our childhoods. Specifically, the trauma, abuse, neglect, and fear that hung over each of our respective…