Historical Setting, 629 C.E. Vosges Mts.
It is a brutal necessity just now to make a plan and to find a way to keep Layla safe. In fact, if we hide her away, we probably need to chain her to that safe place, because she is so likely to escape and run right back into the arms of the husband who beats her.
Ana has encouraged her to accept our help.
Layla argues, “If I stay with you, I won’t be safe, you know that Momma, and no one here will be safe either. If Will comes plundering in a rage some dark night he will go first to the farm and Haberd’s children will be in danger. Haberd can’t fight such as man as he. Then he will come down here and who would fight him here? Papa won’t fight. He always chooses what he calls ‘peace’ even if violence comes to him with fists and blades slashing away. And Brandell’s not much of a fighting man either.”
Ana answers, “Greg and Gaillard will surely make themselves available and of course they will keep watch over your safety; you are Greg’s little sister.”
“Of course, Momma. I should be grateful that my pacifist family can wrap me up in a constant vigil of soldiers forever and ever.”
“It is just until the danger passes.”
“And when will that be, Momma? Is the danger passed when there are two who need to be watched over when I am rocking his baby? Or will I be safe when he is weakened with age, in about fifty years and then all he could do to me is spit and rage. How long will it take?”
Outside we’ve been listening to Gaia’s story and we’ve seen this particular darkness through the blind eyes from another who knows it well. There is no universal healing potion for this. There is no commonality among abusers for a healer to simply make up an elixir. If any healing were possible, it would have to be found in the depths of the abuser’s own ability for empathy, and the empathy of the abuser may be deeply obscured by his belief that rage is power. In his mind the powerless must rage.
It is easy to brush off the command to “love your enemy,” but really that is all we can do, and obviously, love for this man’s wild and senseless tirades is not what a loving God would ask of Layla.
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 