My Daughter Helped me Cross my Limits – Anonymous, 48

After wasting 48 years of my life, it happened and It happened so soon, I lost all the control and lashed out. It was a first for me and hopefully last. I never thought that it was possible that it was in me. We were poor and my parents busy. They dedicated their whole lives raising me and my elder brother, who died of drug abuse some years back. As an introvert and a reticent, I never spoke much. I was sold off to a stranger in the name of marriage as my parents could no longer bear my expenses. I never protested for anything. I never had enough courage to speak up even in front of my parents. I was too timid.

My husband was an alcoholic and quite violent. He used to get drunk and beat me every other day. Together we had a daughter which is now of 18 years. She is everything I am not; outgoing, loud-mouth, fearless and harsh with words. She was never like this, her upbringing forced her to grow up and grow out. But I was still inside, till the day everything changed. It was about 10 years ago and I am still surprised to this day about how I reacted. My daughter, which was just 8 years old then, opened the door for her father. My husband came home late at night, heavily drunk, cursing and somehow, tripped and fell right on his face just after entering inside. My daughter and I got scared by the sound, she came inside crying and hid her face in my lap. I sensed something was wrong so I got up to see what happened. No daughter should ever see her father like that. His clothes were ripped and he reeked of alcohol. He slowly stood up, I saw his eyes, full of rage. Then he said something which I wouldn’t have believed if anyone else would have told me. But he crossed all boundaries that day. He ran towards the bedroom while cursing our daughter. Somehow he thought that our daughter tripped him over. He was 6 feet tall with a heavy build, there is no way an 8-year-old could trip a man of that stature, but since he was drunk, there was no reasoning going on in his head. He was furious and blind with anger. He wanted to hurt our daughter. I was shocked tried my best to stop him. But he was not listening. I was desperate, there was no way in hell that I would let this monster hurt my sweetheart. I grabbed a flower vase, the only thing I could find in the heat of the moment and smashed on the back of his head. Everyone and every sound stopped, even the crying and…..blood seeped out. He fell on the floor, groaning with pain. I calmly asked my daughter to come out. I grabbed my purse and went straight to the police station.

I cannot believe that it was me. The scared me who rose up that day. I learned something that day, unless and until I won’t stand up for myself, no one will. I love my daughter and will protect her in any possible way. He was caught up by the police and was sent away. I and my daughter have moved on and away. I have taught her to fight for herself, I want her to be everything I wasn’t and so much more. I have started working in a small company and also as a part-time tailor to support our sustenance and her studies.