Who You Are

I see you. You are much older than I, with so much experience, so much life, so much more than I. You bear the marks of a woman scorned, beaten, bruised, abused. However arduous things became, you persevered. You overcame. You are. You...are...not. Perfect. You aren't perfect. Then again, neither am I. I am you. Much like you. So much like you it frightens me sometimes. Protege. Apprentice. Your legacy.

I see you. You accept the crumbs that are tossed your way. Like mother, like daughter. I see where I learned such things. I understand. I do not condone. With what you have given me, bestowed upon me, granted me, I will not accept your acceptance of pain and heartache. If you made me...who I am, who I have become, who you wanted me to be, how can you be the opposite? If I emulate you, then how can you be....you?

This is unfathomable to me, and I will not stand for it. You must rise above such absurdity. Find your strength as I found mine. A parent to a parent. It is apparent that you are unfit to do it for yourself. As you shaped me in my youth, I shape you in your maturity. I will give you what you gave me. I will share with you, the knowledge that you shared with me. It appears that you have forgotten your own words. Let me remind you of your strength, your intelligence, your value.

All my life, you were there to show me who I was. I now return the favor. You may not remember, but I have not forgotten who you are; I never will. Years have aged your beauty, yet it remains, a faint essence of what once was. I see you as I saw you years ago: a smile of light and countenance of ethereal beauty. Razor sharp, your words still cut diamonds and your wit remains quick. No need for whetting, your edge persists.

Do not tolerate such degradation. I implore you to terminate such relations with such vampires. Those who wish to alienate you, cheat you, use you up and spit you out. Psychic vampires. He steals your thunder. He dampens your spirit. Monsters such as he do not wish you see you get ahead; they wish to see you trampled, ruined, helpless and inconsolable. Come to the stronghold. I will give your stake and your hammer, but you have to be the one to drive it home.