Audio Version.

Written by a poet, Love Walked In described love, family, and womanhood in a beautiful heart-wrenching way.

I quote a section describing exactly, well almost exactly how I feel about my purpose as a mother. The main character's mother has just told her daughter about her life growing up with a mentally ill and alcoholic mother:

“I swore nothing like that would ever touch this family.” And her whole body tilted forward when she said it so great was her ferocity. It was the scene in Gone With the Wind, Scarlet raising her fist in the air, Georgia in ashes around her, the morning sun turning the world red. When she said that I understood, I saw the truth all at once, like an image in a movie scene-How this single statement, my mother’s resolve ran like a strong rigid seam through the foundation of this house through the supporting walls and wooden beams and through the upbeat normalcy of every day. My mother walked out then, and my father sat down beside me, staring into the fire.
“It’s what she’s been protecting us from all this time,” I said with wonder in my voice.
“Did you think all this was for free? Happiness isn’t what happens when you whistle along pretending bad things don’t exist… I know that’s what you think goes on in this house, but you’re wrong. Happiness is earned like everything else, it is achieved. The problem is that your mother made it look too easy, which is exactly what she wanted. “

Beautiful, touching story. I wish all humanity would be a little more like Cornelia in their treatment of children, strangers, and those in need.