Healed Is On Your Side

Have you ever heard the saying, “Time is on our side”? Well, this is a story about how healing is on your side. About how a young woman overcame adversity. Overcame abuse. Overcame herself. She was in her own way for most of her life. When she was ready to heal from all her pain, it really wasn’t a matter of time. It was merely a matter of self.

Imogene walked through the wrought iron gate and stepped over the concrete threshold. She dropped her head back and looked up to the sky. She then hung her head in sadness and in shame. Today was supposed to be a joyful day. A day filled with glee. Yet, it was a day that Imogene dreaded for the last ten years. She was free. But she didn’t want to be. Being in prison for manslaughter was a curse and a blessing. She had finally had a place to stay. Food to eat twice a day. Even though she was locked in a cell for 23 hours a day, she still felt it was a better home than she had ever had. She was afraid to be back on the streets again. She was afraid she would harm or kill someone again. Even in self-defense again. She was afraid of the expectations that would now be put upon her. Just as she was about to step into the van with two other parolees, to make the small trip two miles up the road to the Greyhound station, the guard shoved her down in the gravel and told her to walk as a result of her smart mouth all of those years.

Imogene stood up and started to walk away. It was taking everything in her to not turn around and run back into the cage that held her since she was 16 years old. It also was taking everything in her to not turn around and punch the guard in his face. This guard that tormented her the entire time she spent in that prison. His taunts and abuse kept him safe behind that badge and that uniform. Every time he touched her and harassed her, she used to think that she didn’t care spending her life in prison, if it meant killing that motherfucker. No one was going to take advantage of her again. No one was going to hurt her again. She honestly was afraid her anger would make her kill again. But, through the friendship and support of a stranger on the outside, Imogene managed to stay the course. Serve her ten years and make her parole with few behavioral infractions.

She closed her eyes and breathed in a heavy breath. She reframed her thoughts and decided that she was leaving behind all her anger and angst. Imogene had waited for this taste of freedom for so long. She was in desperate need of this small luxury. Something that civilians had as…

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