My daughter is now the same age I was when I first remember being hit.

And all I can do is look at her and think "there is nothing - NOTHING- I can think of that you could do that would make me want to hit you"

And that is the first time I have ever truly felt and understood that what happened to me as a kid wasn't somehow my fault - that I wasn't actually a bad/difficult kid who brought it on myself. I didn't deserve it. I've spent 30 years thinking I did.