Skip to main content

Popular posts from this blog

Merged Life

By Terri Rimmer Born into an alcoholic family as the youngest of four girls I had no idea of the abuse that would come to torment my life for 14 years. Both my mother and father were harsh abusers, my father sexually, my mom physically. How can a young girl possibly grow into a health adolescent when what she knows about life is taught by the hands of a sick man and mother intent to poison? I may not ever understand, but perhaps that is my journey. I always knew I wanted to be a writer when in the third grade I got an A plus on a short story I wrote. I loved it and wrote every chance I got at my dadÂ’s encouragement and the feeling and dream reverberated in my soul, refusing to leave me ever. When I was 8 I was devastated to learn of my parents divorcing and to add insult to injury my mom left my sisters and me with our dad. My older sister, Cindy became my hero. She fluffed my pajamas in the dryer before bed, sewed my Girl Scout badges on my uniform, comforted me when the ...

The Cottage

By Terri Rimmer They told me it was a nice place, that there were Shetland ponies and lots of room. That it'd be like a private school dorm, there would be people my age, lots of activities, and I'd like it there. I don't remember if they told me the name ahead of time but I remember the huge sign that read Elks-Aidmore Children's Home in fancy blue scroll against a white backdrop with uncut grass behind it as we rounded the curve. There were individual little "houses" (cottages) divided between gender and age, a tennis court, game room, administration building, pool, trails, and lots of room to walk. It was owned by the local Elks Lodge and a large, booming man named Milton oversaw the large staff who supervised us for better or worse. There was Ron, a handsome staffer, later accused of child molestation, Ginger, who had cerebral palsy, Maxine, a twenty-something with long, flowing curly hair but the others I can't remember. One time one of the teenage re...

To My Daughter On Her 4th Birthday

August 2004 Dear McKenna: I've been debating what to write for your annual birthday letter wanting to give you bright, happy thoughts. I can't believe you're going to be four years old on the 15th. It seems like only a blink away I saw you swaddled in white in the hospital. I'm so glad you have such a great family inVicki and Larry. Vicki loves you so much and sends me emails all the time about how you're doing. Larry taped your first dance recital recently which I can't wait to see. They tell me you're having your party at the water park that you love. I know you'll have a blast. In my usual tradition I'll be releasing the balloons at the park where we had Placement - four of them this year. I'll watch them float up to the sky and again wish you a happy birthday as the balloons climb higher and higher into the clouds. My once deep sorrow has now turned into heartfelt happiness knowing that you enjoy a new, good life each day with your adoptive p...