noun - one that is injured, destroyed, or sacrificed under various conditions
Synonyms: casualty, prey, martyr, wounded, loser, underdog, and collateral damage
Wearing the term weighs heavy. A lead vest never asked to be worn and that which seems impossible to remove.
I never wanted to know what my therapist’s lips felt like pressed upon mine or the sensation of his meaty fingers gripping my thigh. There was no warning, no consent. Despicable things happen out of our control, and identifying as a victim confirms that another has secured our undoing.
I refuse to come undone.
Deep in the soil of despair is the possibility to sprout a better version of ourselves. We are flowers growing through concrete with an innate ability to find the sunlight. A victim’s vest will never be among my possessions.
I live in the cloak of a victor.
To all of the flowers growing through concrete—realize your power. Find the sun.