therapy

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The crowd grew silent as my footsteps slowly made themselves up the stairs and onto the stage. I shuffled the index cards in my hands, feeling the sharp edges with my fingertips. Taking a deep breath in, I stared out into the stage of unknown faces, here today to hear jumbled up letters form words on my tongue.

"This story does not start with 'once upon a time' nor does it end with 'the end' because the meaning of this story will never end. It'll be passed on through the endless notion of time. When a boy becomes a man, he can choose to get married or not. And if he chooses to get married and start a family of his own, he doesn't understand that what he has just decided will not only impact his bank account but it will take notes on every move he makes. His daughter will watch him go to work, come back with flowers for his wife, give her a peck on her cheek, and sit down to eat with the family. She will watch as he types away on the keyboard to get the paperwork done, or how to file the bills so they don't suffocate him. She will watch as his parents age and suffer the horrible pain of a heart beating slowly. She will watch him hold back the tears. She will watch him chug away the pain. She will watch him burn his lungs. She will cough and feel the smoke sting her eyes. She will watch how her parents' voices bounce off the walls. She will watch and listen, never saying a word to the two individuals in front of her. And then she will grow up, her mind analyzing everything she has seen and listened to. She will think that love is a hopeless emotion created by writers to fool creatures. She will think that it cannot and will never exist. She will think that women are obliged to stay at home and watch the children for the rest of their lives. She will think that women only belong to the kitchen and will step out when they are called to bring another beer. She will think that it's okay to have bruises on you, because he, after all, loves me. She will think it's okay to be belittled and turned into absolutely nothing. And the thing is? It's not okay. If you make the decision to bring an innocent beautiful painting into the world, take care of it. Don't leave it at the corner of the room, collecting dust and secrets. Open up the windows so the light will shine upon the painting. Do your best to take care of it because you are the one who created it. Why would you throw away a masterpiece when the world has waited so long to see it? Thank you."

I shuffled down the stage as quickly as I could, feeling my heartbeat at the speed of lighting. I turned my head and saw her give me a smile from the other side of the room.