Yes, a headline caught me and reeled me in: “Missing Persons Case Solved! Woman Missing Since 1974 Found Living In Texas.” The article is so short it resists summary, but basically: a 28-year-old woman had her 3rd child in Indiana in 1974. She signed over her three children to her parents, and took off. Her family hasn’t seen her since. But now, in 2016, she has been found.
Some of the people who re-posted this article included comments about the missing woman, vitriolic and blaming—how could a mother abandon her children, these strangers asked. And why would her daughter, who has requested contact, want anything to do with this wicked woman? The police obviously foresaw this type of response, because the press release states, “[she] did not commit any crime by leaving her home in 1974, and still reserves the right to remain anonymous.” Let me say that again: the missing woman did not commit any crime. But we all know there will be a virtual witch hunt for her, a digital effigy tried, convicted, and burned without mercy.
I’m a Buddhist, and “nonjudging” is an essential part of my philosophy, a word I must repeat to silence the self-critical voice inside more often than the one turned outward. But I also know many Christians who avoid judging, taking to heart the Bible’s exhortation to “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” I would argue that not judging others is, in addition to being morally admirable, actually good for us psychologically. It also makes logical sense. Imagine some possible scenarios about the missing woman:
…Perhaps she was married to an abusive husband or involved with an abusive boyfriend. 1 in 3 women today, in 2016, will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. What was that statistic in 1974? What was the awareness of domestic violence then? What were the laws protecting women, if any? What if the missing woman left because she could see no other option? Perhaps the abusive man threatened to kill her. Perhaps he tried to control her by harming the children or the pets. Perhaps she thought they would be safer with her parents, and with her—the object of his obsession—far, far away from his manipulation and his violence.
…Maybe she was gay. Maybe she knew that, or figured it out, and knew there was absolutely no place for her to be herself where she was. She had to leave her family, her children, anyone who knew her. Remember, it was 1974. There was no “It gets better” campaign, no gay characters on television. No GLBT hotline. She was dying inside, taught to hate herself. She would have been dead sooner or later, likely by her own hand, if she had stayed. And because she hated herself and, if her secret were out, she would have been deemed an unfit mother anyway, she left. She went away and became someone else and tried to love and be loved, which we all want, which we all seek.
…Or perhaps she was struggling with mental illness, voices that told her to harm her children or extreme postpartum depression, and she knew she had to get away before she hurt someone. Maybe she was persuaded to leave by someone who had psychological power over her. Maybe she never contacted her family after a letter in 1975 because she felt so deeply guilty that she did not think she could survive seeing them. Maybe when she landed somewhere else she felt useful, for the first time in her life.
The point is: we don’t know. What we do know is that societal pressures specific to a woman’s experience could certainly have contributed to what happened. We do know that a man who abandoned his children in 1974 (or even now) would not be called the same vicious names. We know that each of us has done or at least come close to doing desperate things, things we are ashamed of, things we regret. 
The missing woman is all of us. If you’re old enough to have been alive in 1974, as I am, then the missing woman just might be the child or young person you were then. How might your life have been different if the 42 intervening years between then and now were radically changed? What if the sexism that shapes the lives of people of all genders had been—dare I even imagine it?—eradicated in those 42 years? Who would you be now if you could have been shaped by something your now-self wishes desperately your then-self could have known?
That last question is too hard, I know. But one thing I would tell my young self, I would tell everyone: be compassionate. Practice nonjudging, of others and of yourself. I say “practice” because none of us is so enlightened that we never succumb to judgment. But we can practice nonjudging, and with practice, we can get better.
Categories: Katie's Voice, News
The Gloria Sirens 
Very sad to read such stories !!
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Actually she fled her town because her husband had died in a car accident she was a very young mother, she ended up signing her children over to her mother then not long after that she was severely beaten, raped by three men and threw over a bridge and left for dead. Her abusers were never charged and even though she went to the hospital to seek medical attention not much was done in the way of the law to protect her. That’s why she fled. Apparently the law in that town is a bit sketchy to say the least and they have a series of unsolved murders. Her abusers are still living in that town.
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I’m wondering how you know this information. If it’s true, then I am so very, very sad for the woman. In any case, this is a scenario that could happen, has happened at some point in some places.
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Hello dear, I had read it from her daughters point of view it was on one of the news sites and maybe it was ABC or CNN? I’m not good with linking sites actually I quite honestly suck at the whole cyber thing but I remember reading from the daughters point of view what had happened. It’s a sad story either way really.
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Ah, yes. I found a link that talked about this–from People, I believe, and a few other news outlets. Several places are also now reporting on the daughter’s hurt and anger as she discovered her mother was actually alive, and as their first phone conversation was cut short by the mother who said she was “not able” to talk right then. I just want to reaffirm my nonjudging stance: the daughter will have hurt to process, of course. There is enough compassion for both of them, and for the other people hurt by this situation. Thanks for bring it to my attention. ❤
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Yes I noticed the new stories about the daughters hurt, so understandable on all counts, they’ll have a lot of healing to do and that will take time and effort on both parties sides. I too don’t judge them but my heart goes out to them and I wish them nothing but peace and love.
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Oh ! Is it that the law is called as ass. What horrible experiences this miserable soul might have undergone? In one of my earlier replies I had stressed that a woman leaves her home only when she is lift with no alternative. Really I feel ashamed on the vulture-like misconduct of the rapists and the authorities later.
May God help us.
WHAT KIND ARE THE PEOPLE?
WHAT KIND IS THEIR SOCIETY?
EVERYONE GETTING DESTROYED
CAN’T ENSURE WOMEN’S SAFETY.
Dr Kshazan Bharadwaj
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I give her props for placing her children in the arms of her parents instead of the alternative, total abandonment. I appreciate the options that you suggested for reasons as to why she left, but as you previously stated, we will never know why she chose to leave her children.
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Great post! When I read that brief article today, I was briefly relieved. So many of these stories end with the missing person being found dead. My relief was brief because now her safe space has been invaded by everyone who watches the evening news. I have to pray for her because the life she has known since 1974 is literally a thing of the past…wishing her and her family well.
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Post is an eye-opener but still we will stay blind. Anyone leaving home is just pushed to do so by various reasons. No one likes leave home.
But one thing more. If we (Both men & women) go against nature, it is certain we will suffer. Abusing woman is anti-nature. Sex except heterosexuality is unnatural. Not loving kids is unnatural.
Mind it anti-natural indulgence will bring catastrophe. My opinion may look orthodox to the modernists; but just pause, muse and then comment….Budh was non-judgemental (All apostles are so) because he advised self-analysis because the soul never cheats.
Good write up dear Katie…….
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Thank you, Katie, for your compassionate wisdom.
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Good thing she didn’t take her children with her. Who knows what could happen. It’s great that she’s still alive. It’ll hurt like crazy if no one knew you died.
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I am shocked at the thought the pressures on her mind when she decided to separate from her kids. NO mother is ready to do that until pushed to the wall. In that shocked state she took such wise step. Hats off to her discretion.
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Reblogged this on Lisa Lanser Rose and commented:
I never understand the knee-jerk reaction to fling vitriol on strangers for failing to fit into superficial definitions of what they should be. If anyone relinquishes a child, a public act, you can bet it arose from private anguish. Judge not, that ye be not judged.
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Reblogged this on The Manifesto.
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Nice Article
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This is beautifully touching and enlightening.
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Wise thoughts, Katie…thank you.
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Very Beautiful Touching, Good Job
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Sometimes the waves of hopeless and sadness that wash over you are far stronger than your capacity for love. I hope she found (or finds that) missing piece of her that she went in search of
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goodddddd
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oh my God
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Great post! We really need to practice being nonjudgmental.
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You have wrote this beautifully. It is so sad to see this happen to people, and I look forward to reading more of your pieces.
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