Hera McLeod

Trusting Your Gut

Intuition, or gut instinct, is the most powerful natural protective mechanism that we have. – A quote just about everyone would agree on in theory While just about everyone will admit at some point in time that instincts are a good thing, most of us are taught to also question them. We learn from a…

Strength – When You Have No Other Choice

One morning in February 2012, I woke up just like every other morning. Prince used to wake up at 3am as if he had an internal “I want to sleep with Mama for a bit” clock. He knew I woke up for work at 5am so he would get up with just enough time to…

Love At First Sight

In February 2010, I met Lucifer for the first time in person (after several phone conversation and email exchanges). While in the above picture he appears to have aged about ten years in the three years since I first met him, I cannot say he didn’t look just as menacing back then – to some…

Justice for baby Prince

“True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.” – Martin Luther King Jr. Over the past two years, there have been many moments in which I have been ashamed of my country. I grew up believing that if I was an honest person, who worked hard to positively…

Fearing the non-traditional family

There are certain memories of my time with Luc that are burned in my mind. One of the most vivid memories happened in early 2011 when I was only a few months pregnant. Luc went into another one of his rages when I admitted that I couldn’t afford to pay his entire mortgage. I had…

Domestic Abuse – Stupidity does not unite us

A few days ago I wrote about something I like to call Non-Traditional Domestic Violence. Since I wrote that post, I have received several emails from women who have lived through all kinds of horrifying abuse at the hands of likely sociopathic men. I wanted to share some of the experiences of these strong women with…

The woman my son can be proud of

Tonight I sat and stared at the Christmas tree my parents put up this year. My eyes quickly focused in on a small ornament I had bought a little over a year ago today. I remember like it were yesterday when I had brought Prince into this small mom and pop Christmas store in search…

Hold Fast

In the past few weeks, I have received many more emails from women (no men yet) who are facing what seems like impossible situations with the father of their child/children. Given what has happened to Prince, it has been hard for me to find the words to advise others who find themselves in similarly horrifying…

Surrounded by people – but still alone

It’s Christmas Eve tonight. One year ago, this very moment, I was tucking my son into bed and preparing to wrap his presents for his first Christmas. Looking back, I am glad that I was unaware of how bad things would get. I was able to celebrate my son’s first Christmas like he would have…

The honor our children deserve

Each day, I think about the things I could have done to prevent my son from dying. Regardless of how many people tell me the absurdity of this exercise, it is something that every parent who has lost a child (especially in this way) will do. While I am smart enough to realize how my…