At Last

Nothing was ever good enough.
Everything was criticized.
She was shut up.
Shut down.
Let down.
Her best efforts were met with indifference.
Her time was spent solely on measuring up,
only to live in constant disappointment.
Time passed.
Distance grew.
Allowing space for her own thoughts to grow.
What started as a faint whisper grew into a deafening roar.
She was capable.
She was important.
She was worthy.
She took a step forward, then slowly turned around.
An old tattered bridge stood at her feet.
The bridge that connected her to her past.
To those who saw her as less than and treated her as so.
The bridge that connected her to the girl she once was,
who stayed and allowed and accepted it all.
She lit a match and with gratitude in her heart,
she burned that bridge to the ground.
Tears streamed down her face.
Not because of her pain.
But for the relief she had found, at last.