A Beacon Of Hope
When I was younger I had abusive parents, like really abusive parents, one night in the middle of a snowstorm they threw me outside in the snow with no shoes or socks and in a t-shirt. It was freezing cold. I was wandering around the neighborhood behind the houses because I was too embarrassed.
Suddenly, a neighbor of mine, (17ish) was sitting at his window smoking and looking at the snow. He saw me and asked what the heck I was doing, I just gave him this look and he leaned out his window, grabbed me by the arms and hauled me up into his window. He gave me some blankets and let me sit there in the warmth for a while and we just small talked and he put on a movie. A little while later my mother came by, saw him and asked if he had seen me. He instantly, without hesitating told her no, and watched until she left before helping me back home.
At the time, it was the kindest thing anyone had ever done for me, the only person who had ever protected me from my abusive parents. Since then I’ve always been doing my best to help my friends and acquaintances from their abusive families or relationships.