“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person.” Colossians 4:6 (New American Bible).
There have been times in writing this book that the words needed to express a moment, expose a secret, or reveal a painful truth were difficult to find. But in all cases, they were guided by a Holy Spirit that lived within her. To have speech that is gracious and seasoned with salt, was not possible in Dr. Marra’s portrayal of the hidden world of abuse. It is not only her story but the story of others who have shared their lives with her. Her story is not only told with compassion and understanding but has been guided by a light that God has shined upon her path. He has helped her recover from her own past and has guided and protected her through all the events in her life. It has been a long and difficult journey that might have been different, had she believed and surrendered to God’s plan. He coaxed, prodded, and guided her to find A Way Out which she describes and believes is the only way.
Is this a religious story? Not necessarily, it is more a pilgrimage Dr. Marra has taken hoping those who have experienced the pains of abuse can take comfort in knowing there is another way of healing. We have choices, we make decisions, but are these choices and decisions repetitive causing us to continue to suffer or do they provide a different path forward, or A Way Out from the past? She has come to believe and appreciate that, though our destinies are uncertain and our voyage solitary, we are guided by many lights along the way; some are bright, others faint, but in all cases, a journey toward redemption and hope for a better future.
