Blog Post

Knowing Truth

May 3, 2020

A girl sat in a cage.

In the cold darkness, afraid and alone. Unsure of how to escape the torment or the thoughts that plagued her far too often. 

Worthless.

Underserving.

Ugly.

Unlovable.

Never good enough.

That is why she was here. The girl worked so long, so long, only to end up here. She shook less from the coldness of the cage and more from the emotions that overwhelmed.

Aching as if a knife was plunged deep within her heart.

She could not cry out.

She could not speak.

Her chest tightened with fear.

What was she?

She wanted to be saved. To be courageous enough to escape. But fear kept her in her place.

Failure.

Loneliness.

Comparison.

Expectations.

Hopelessness.

Like a large beast destroying a small helpless animal, the fear and lies destroyed the softest parts of her. All she could do was watch, not being able to anything.

How had she gotten to this point?

Why did she give in?

Why did this despair weigh so much?

When did she become broken?

She used to smile. Laugh. That was an entirely different person. Another life.

How long had it been since she felt comfort? Safe?

The girl cried, her aching heart overwhelming her. 

An ache that felt it could destroy her at that moment. Would she ever get out?

The girl saw the key that could save her on the floor of her cage. Her freedom. She could leave. But what if what her thoughts said were true? What if once she left everything she was afraid of would come true?

The girl sat in the dark, unsure of what to do. How long had she begged for her freedom and it lay within her grasp?

How many times had she cried out wanting anyone to hear her?

The girl sat up as she heard the door creak open.

A woman entered, familiar, yet unknown.

“You poor girl. You have been here for far too long. It is time to break free.”

The girl cried seeing the woman, uncertain of the hope that filled her heart.

“I am afraid.”

“I know. I remember.” The woman said still offering her hand.

“You were never meant to be here, but now that you have been you must break free. It is your choice. If you decide to leave you must fight.”

“I am so tired of fighting. I can’t. I can’t fight anymore.”

“You are named a victor. You are a fighter. The bars that surround you are not stronger than you. The fear you are fighting will not conquer you. Get up!” 

The girl stood and stumbled from sitting in the cage for so long.

She took a step forward as the weight of fear began to pull her down.

“One more step. You can do it.” The woman encouraged.

The girl put one foot in front of the other. Focused on each step in front of her. Not those behind or those ahead, but each one as she could make them.

Her hope grew slowly as she got closer to the entrance. 

“Keep fighting.” The woman declared as the girl faltered.

The girl focused on what she could do. What she was doing at this moment.

The woman called her a victor.

The woman believed in her.

That meant the girl was a fighter.

A warrior.

A memory flashed in the girl’s mind of a time before the cage. A time when she smiled. Laughed. Shown an armor still too big for her. An armor made for when she would join the other warriors.

Another step and light began to shine on the girl.

The woman smiled, “You are beautiful.” 

The girl could not believe this was true.

The woman nodded as a girl took another step.

She was beautiful? That is not what her thoughts said, not when she compared with others. She wasn’t beautiful. Her steps faltered and the woman looked up into the girl’s eyes.

“Don’t listen to lies. Listen to truth. You are beautiful.”

“Beautiful.” The girl whispered touching her face.

“Also here,” the woman said, touching her own heart as an example, “And here.” pointing to her own head. “You are truly beautiful.”

The journey continued. Slow and difficult. The cage seeming to never end. 

The woman offered encouragement. Speaking truth to the young girl.

The girl came to the end of the cage and stepped outside for the first time in a long while. 

The girl heard cries, shouts, people yelling. All welcoming. All concerned. All desiring to reach someone. 

“Who are they?” The girl asked.

“Do you not recognize them? They love you. They were worried when they could not reach you.”

“Why could they not reach me?” 

“You were trapped by lies and fear. So they sent me.”

“Who are you?”

“I am Truth.”

The woman turned to the girl to face the poorly made cage with flimsy walls and a mere sheet creating the darkness. After seeing the cage the woman turned the girl back to the people.

“They gave me messages to tell you. To remind you of who you are, but you were trapped and could not see that what held you had no power over you. I told you what was true and now you are free.”

The cage of fear and lies could not stand up, collapsing behind the two. 

Truth held a mirror in front of the girl.

“What is this for?” The girl asked.

“To remind you of who you are. It is time to see the truth.”

The girl looked in the mirror. A warrior stood in front of her. In armor. Her armor.

She was the warrior.

“Go greet them. They have waited a long to see you return.” Truth gestured to the people waiting to greet the girl.

“Truth?” The girl questioned looking back.

“Yes?”

“I don’t remember my name. Do you know what it is?”

Truth smiled, “Victory.”