As a college administrator, Gwen Plano lived her professional life in a highly visible and accountable space-but as wife and mother, after hours and behind closed doors, she experienced the daily terror of domestic violence. It was her secret; it was her shame. But when her husband turned his brutality on her son, she could no longer stay quiet. In Letting Go into Perfect Love, Plano recounts her … her experiences as the victim in a twenty-five-year abusive marriage, and as a survivor who came out of that relationship determined to start over, artfully depicting the challenges and triumphs of balancing the obligations of motherhood and career with her family’s healing process. Alternately heart-wrenching and joyful, this is a story of triumph over adversity-one woman’s inspiring account of learning how to forgive the unforgiveable, recover her sense of self, open her heart, and honor the journey
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In her book Letting Go, Gwen Plano recounted her two abusive marriages in honesty and courage. She married the first husband after he had a mental breakdown. The psychiatrist gave her hope that Bruce could recover. She married him intending to help him and saved him from being admitted. She couldn’t handle his outrage and filed a divorce. She married Ron six months after they met. There were signs of Ron’s disturbed behavior, but Gwen stated that she was in a fantasy world of young love. In the years to come, Ron uprooted the family on minutes of notice and moved across the country and even to Japan. After they came back to the US, he was getting more violent, demeaning and controlling. He physically abused young son when the baby was seven months old. When the daughter was sexually abused at age five by clergies and complained about that years later, Ron didn’t want to deal with it.
During the twenty-five years of abuse, Gwen studied and taught. The workplace was her escape. The busyness kept them going for twenty-five years. At one point, she realized Ron made her feel “small.” In an abusive relationship, women kept the abuse in secret, fear the reporting results in more abuse. These women may fear of not being able to stand on their own feet.
The beginning of her book, Gwen conveyed her Catholic upbringing which demanded her obedience to the church rules and prevented her from divorce. Her family background formed her endurance of hardship without complaint. It was after her seeking spiritual advice and assurance to rid her fear that she filed for a divorce and was set free.
For such a difficult subject to write about (and read) I found myself inspired by the time I finished Letting Go Into Perfect Love, Discovering the Extraordinary After Abuse. Ms. Plano takes her readers through her pain and disappointments in life. The abuse she suffered at the hands of the person who should have held her up in love, could have made her cold or give up. She did neither of those things. Instead, her faith and hope only increased. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has been a victim of abuse or anyone who needs to be uplifted by strength, hope and faith.
A book that makes you cry and the same time gives you inspiration.
I hThere are a million or more walks into a life filled with abuse. This is another one of them in that “Naked City.” I won’t go into the details of what the story is about. Many others have already built the foundation on that. I just love a true story; especially, when it’s presented in a manner such as this.
There are no ordinary days . . . when one interface with the likes of abuse. If so, this author’s journey would have taken a different walking path. We hear too often of how abuse can affect a family unit. From the Introduction to the first Chapter, I knew I’d chosen the right book for the night. Domestic abuse is not an easy topic to talk about; especially when the one speaking has been victimized. Certainly, it took courage for (Author) Gwen Plano to expose how she was imprisoned by other’s toxic behavior. It was through her words and her message I found myself walking alongside that rocky and rough road.
Although it speaks on domestic abuse, I was impressed the author took a stand to expose her course – through the journey. It had to take a lot of courage, strength, and determination to let readers into 1) the core side of her journey; 2) to know about this sensitive topic; 3) and to say at best “You’re not alone.” Yes, I’ve been there; done that!
The author gives us the most compelling tale; and a heartbreaking one along the way. It’s a riveting account you’re bound to embrace. The author does a superb job presenting those challenging life-long years . . . of battling and struggling to maintain a “normal” lifestyle. Her writing was clear; précised, and well-developed.
I hope by not telling the inside facts, you’ll be eager to read it on your own. Believe me; afterward, you will recommend others to discover its glory. Overall, the author story opens your heart as she pours out her life experiences. It’s been spoken there are lessons to learn, and this is one story that easily helps another.