Continuing from Boundaries and Home Life…..

The time I spent as a child in woman’s shelters had a significant impact on me, both good and bad. I’m sure my mother never expected to have to be housed in a shelter with all of us. I was too young to understand how bad our situation really was. My innocence was protected as much as possible and I will forever be Thankful to my Mother(RIP) for that. The rules and boundaries she set were the only shield we had. Shelters are “open season”, you do not know exactly who or what you are dealing with. I never considered myself any different than the people around us. That could have been attributed to my innocence and upbringing, I was never taught to discriminate based on appearances. I didn’t fear the ladies with the hard exteriors or needle hole scars all over their arms. I was that child who was quiet and shy, people would pinch my cheeks and st me on their lap. I would sit with them as they had adult discussions, trying not to squirm. I was trying to be polite. One day my Mother explained the dangers of our new environment after she noticed me sitting with the ladies. I’ll never forget what she said, she told me that I must be careful when I’m around these ladies because they are not “like us”. She didn’t get into detail, but she did inform me that they were still strangers who could possibly hurt me. When I grew up I realized what she was trying to relay to me. Some of the women were from and still involved in the dangerous street life, some of them were criminals, some not mentally stable or on drugs.

She was trying to protect me, without putting other people down, I understand why she chose to explain that way. I listened to her, and held that lesson close to me throughout my life…..

I’ll continue in my next blog.

Good Morning or Good Night 🙂

Love&Respect,

Dawn Lovely

Follow me @:https://twitter.com/iamdawnlovely, https://t.co/wfctLWHJ1W