Burst From The Flames.

Cold was the hearts of many who touched my world,

Those people left my heart frozen like an ice lake that never

thawed.

Brutal were the sharp tongues, like swords that cut through my brain,

Words that left me crying in silence in the rain.

Painful were the punches and boots, that felt like a million pieces of glass,

forced to punch fractures in my bone, and bleeding rips into my delicate skin.

Locked was my mind;

Locked behind steel bars, mentally and physically tortured in a hell where I couldn't see my self-worth.

My mind; drowning in a terrible storm; my mouth was silenced,

Silenced from telling my truth, shamed into never saying the words,

"They abused me,' out loud.

Then you came along and showed me a friendship I never thought existed.

You,

Showered me in love that was more powerful than I had ever known,

Removed the gag they forced on my mouth, and empowered me to speak up,

Taught me that I was powerful, valued, worthy, beautiful, and loved,

Taught me that I was worth more than being another person's punch-bag,

You showed me that my spirit, body and soul were worthy of being cared for by friends, and partners who truly loved me,

You taught me that my ideas and opinions were valued,

That I could find more to myself than I thought if only I could allow myself to break free from those who mistreated me,

You taught me to speak up because every woman deserves to be heard, and every woman deserves to be treated like a woman.

Though you are no longer here in person;

You are here in spirit, your fire empowering me and guiding me as I live my best life,

You are the dragon beside me,

Not just by my side but around me every day, watching me from heaven, guiding me in everything I do, and empowering me to protect myself from the forces of evil that try to destroy my life.

I can't see you, but I can feel your strength around me every day, and it is from that strength, I am empowered to be the best woman I know I can be.

You are not just my best friend;

You are my spiritual animal, my guardian;

A powerful force who never left my side in life and never leaves my side in death.

"Burst from the flames. Shine brighter than any fire you have ever known. Feel the heat from those flames, and use it to empower you, for your heart and soul are stronger than you think. You can do it."

Those were the kind words you used to heal me, and I hear them every day;

You were right,

I can do it;

I do it every single day,

I breathe my fire,

I can't be stopped,

I am strong, powerful, and beautiful I found my voice, and I use my voice to empower millions of children and adults from across the world to always know who they are and never settle for less than they are worth.

You are the true dragon beside me,

And with your never-ending strength,

I become the fire-breathing dragon that I always knew was inside me, and I am no longer afraid to speak up and let her out.