A Black Eye can be found anywhere a woman dwells.

 

There are no forbidden place for black eyes!  You can find a black eye,  in places you least expect,  like next to the fruit  in your local grocery store.  Last Thursday, as I was passing by a food sampling  kiosk in my grocery store a soft voice asked me if I would like to try her chilli.  Before I looked  up at the person speaking I answered “no thank you.”  Foolish life of ours, we are always in a hurry for one reason or another…mostly unimportant reasons, at that.  As my eyes caught up to the voice I was startled to see her sad, tired face, lot of makeup covering her puffy black eye.  Feeling ashamed I stopped to warm up to her which opened the door for me to  inquire how she got the black eye. She said she bumped into something.  It was apparent she wasn’t asked about the eye before me because she didn’t have her story straight, couldn’t define the “something” she bumped into; first sign.  You look tired I said, with empathy.  Empathy touched her, tears filled her eyes  -I felt I knew how she got her black eye.

She was working, I didn’t want to complicate her life at work.  But,  I was alarmed.  I felt I needed to do something.  I went to my car, got my book and  a card with my telephone number, returned into the store and asked her if she would accept my book as a gift.  She accepted the book with more enthusiasm than I anticipated.   Our eyes met,  as she took the book she thanked and hugged me.  When I asked her to call me she said she would,  but I know from working with abused women for over fifteen years, the abused woman often does not call….sometimes until it is too late.

It never fails, whenever I encounter this type of circumstance I feel sadness; I feel compelled to do something.   I sit here with her on my mind, hoping she has someone who can continue to give her support until she can draw upon her courage  to change her circumstance.  Giving her my book and kindness is just a pebble in the sand.  My solace is that ants build mounds, one pebble at a time.

When we see a distressed woman lets take a minute to  let her know she is not alone.

Lets build mounds.