Letter from Charron

At the age when little girls have a best friend, Charron who lived across the street was my inseparable buddy. We’ve kept in touch all these years. Charron lives in Nantuckett, has five children and numerous grandchildren. When we meet we still feel a closeness and caring based on that early bonding.

I’ve been carrying around the letter Charron sent me some weeks ago when she heard about the publication of Confessions of a Trauma Therapist. Here’s part of it.

Dear Mary K
I am so proud of you! Just imagine the distance you have travelled. It’s hard for me to come to grips with your trauma. You certainly had me fooled.

Once, years ago, Charron wrote in another letter that she’d always envied my life when we were children. Her family was struggling financially and her stressed-out mother was working long hours to save their family bakery. I lived in the big house across the street with a mother who welcomed Charron and was always available.

By the time Charron wrote about wishing she had lived in the big house, I had my memories of sexual abuse. I remember writing back cautioning Charron to be careful what she wished for. She was one of the first people to whom I disclosed my sad history.

We’ve both grown into successful older women. Charron, as her friend Mary K, is still married to the same man after close to 50 years. We both have loving relationships with our offspring and we’re both living affluent lifestyles. Not bad for a couple of little girls who spent hours every day dressing up and pretending to be ballerinas, movie stars or whatever took our fancy.