The Garden of Roses: Stories of Abuse and Healing

I sat down in Barnes and Noble Cafe with my laptop, green tea and something chocolate to eat.  I thought I’d peruse The Oregonian and The New York Times online before working on a blog.  Well, I worked on a blog, this blog, but not the one I intended to work on. As I scrolled down through the “Opinion” section of The Oregonian , I found a piece on Jeanette Maples.  She is the 15-year-old girl who died at her home in Eugene, Oregon, on December 9, apparently tortured to death by her mother and stepfather. The abuse did not go unnoticed.  Jeanette’s mother sent her to Middle School in Eugene in ragged sweatpants and T-shirts.  Her classmates teased her, as Middle Schoolers are inclined to do to those who don’t fit in.  But for Jeanette, school was a haven because it offered her a respite from her mother’s abuse.  Her friends noticed that Jeanette was always hungry and that she had injuries on her body.  They pushed her for the truth, and...