Introduction Just as we are living souls; life itself has a soul.  And there’s a heartbeat to life.  I call it the rising and the falling.  Just as we must rise, I’ve learned that we must fall.  I find that I’m grateful for the things I learn when I fall, yet I often dislike the cuts they bring and the scars they leave behind.  Today I fell, but perhaps for months I’ve been falling, and I have all the bumps and bruises to prove it.  Although they’re not visible to the eye, they are surely recorded on my soul.  It’s funny how often my spirit tried to warn me, with a bit of melancholy here and uncertainty there, but at the time, I hadn’t considered that life was forcefully trying to get me to step into a better pair of shoes.  I guess I thought I had more time.  Interesting, the rising never appears to be as long lived as the falling, and the discomfort of improper shoes can usually be cushioned. I bet you’re wondering how I got here...

Meet Kayla Behind her ravishing looks, Her designer wear, Welcoming smile, And seemingly free spirit, Lies her starving soul, Her depleted esteem, And the absence of confidence, Witness the searching for self. Meet the woman, The girl, The child, Sentenced to adult life, Armed with mistrust, And scarred intensely by the memories of abuse, Confused by what love truly means, Tarnished by the hands of a man, Not knowing that where she’s running from, Is exactly where she’ll land. She’s simply reacting to life, And this one so full of strife, But it’s time the beast is beheaded. His hand-print must be erased, From her skin, His claws must be ejected, From her heart, His grip must be loosened, From her neck! Return to her the ability to scream for help. Return to her the feeling of purity, Lead her towards maturity, Place her before her true identity, Free her mind, And body, From their ruthless captivity, Tear down th...