It is no Accident that Truth, Justice and Liberty are Women

It is no accident that Truth, Justice and Liberty are women,

beautiful and strong,

and interdependent.

Because separation from Truth

severs the possibility of Justice

or Liberty.

Wrenched from Truth’s haven

by a tidal wave of horror,

I lost at a young age

the freedom

to discover what I already knew,

which left me vulnerable

to being taught.

He taught me

to be silent:

“Don’t you dare tell anyone what happened.”

He taught me

to speak lies:

“Nothing happened.”

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“I love you, Daddy.”

He taught me

to listen passively:

“Your father is a wonderful man.”

“You are a lucky girl.”

Each lie

piercing my soul,

sweeping me

farther

and farther

and farther away,

powerless

and in pain.

Until I awoke one day

far from the horror,

enveloped by a dense fog

made of lies.

And a glimmer of Truth

pierced the fog,

searching for me and

I recognized her,

and accepted her,

and gave her a voice:

“I am afraid.”

And instantly

another truth appeared,

encouraged by success,

and another,

and another,

and another,

tumbling over themselves

clearing the fog and

bringing me light,

allowing me to see clearly

and speak:

“My father emotionally abused me.”

Each Truth

bearing the gift of strength,

enabling me to look

into scarier

and scarier places

until I gathered enough strength to look at the horror itself

and speak:

“My daddy sexually abused me.”

This Truth banishing the remainder of the fog,

lifting unseen burdens,

leaving me standing

and free.

For Truth has beauty,

and strength,

and power,

and energy

that draws you forward,

gaining momentum as She goes,

granting access to liberty and justice,

seeking to be heard.

As I give Truth

the voice she needs to sustain her,

I gather Freedom and Justice

like pearls,

and nourishment seeps into my soul

like a gentle rain.

While giving this gift

of speaking the Truth,

I watch as moist eyes light with recognition,

and welcome a long-lost friend.

It is no accident that Truth, Justice and Liberty are women.

For as women are abused

and silenced

and torn from Truth,

Liberty and Justice

are denied to all.