Wednesday's Child

Peter R. Onedera gives a graphic account of his life in Wednesday's Child.

The tropical paradise that was Guam in the early 1960s wasn't all about scented flowers, gentle breezes, lazy afternoons, sipping piña coladas under the shade of huge mango and breadfruit trees, living in quaint Quonset huts with colorful curtained windows, and swimming in the azure waters of Tumon Bay. Childhood horror existed and the author was abused by his three older siblings.

Loneliness and isolation were the only things Onedera knew. When berating and belittling are constant, one begins to believe it. Onedera felt he deserved everything that befell him. At the encouragement and urging of his therapist to write about his experience, the author has embarked on this book as an attempt at healing the hurt, the disappointment, the fear, the neglect, and the physical and emotional pain. Wednesday's Child is an attempt to close this painful chapter.

About the Author

Writing about something so personal was a long time in coming and the author decided that the demons that have plagued him for so long needed to be dealt with directly. Letting go of the past, especially a past so plagued with emotional pain, confusion and loneliness, is one of the most difficult things anyone must do. But it must be done, or else it becomes destructive not just to the psyche but also in relationships and a view of the world.

Peter R. Onedera has managed to steer his life into constructive things like community involvement, the arts and humanities, and family. While he has written before on humor, local social and cultural topics, ghosts and superstitious beliefs, legends and historical accounts, and situational scenarios, Wednesday's Child was a work that required soul-searching and rethinking over and over his decision to take his experiences to print. But, at last, the author has embarked on this work that will be considered a step in the healing process.