This is the story of a little girl whose heart was broken.
Her excitement, empathy, generosity, curiosity and love had been crushed under the weight of thoughtless comments and actions made by the "adults" in her life. Comments and actions made in those tender moments of childhood. Like, when a delicate new bud on a branch gets nipped by a harsh frost, just harsh enough to profoundly bruise that, oh, so tender soul. Not enough to destroy it, but enough to encase it in the iron armor of resolve never to expose such vulnerability to this apparently harsh and dangerous environment called life.
She made the decision, to survive, that she must become the vampire pirate, wrapping her heart and soul in steel and chain mail. Vowing never again to be in a place where such pain and hurt could damage her again.
Emerging into her new world strong, independent, invulnerable.
Underneath, all the while, her compassion, generosity and love, struggling to escape the cold iron prison of that protective armor.
Turns out there was a small chink in that armor that allowed light in to bath her soul in the warmth of true self expression and joy, in that place she could dance, sing and create music that moved souls. Hers, and those around her.
One day, she had a moment of grace, and allowed herself to look back into her heart, through that small chink, and see her true self, that heartbroken little girl. In that moment, of seeing her true soul she was terrified, yet she resolved to love that little girl, nourish her, release her from that cold dark lonely place. Let the child, dance, sing and play, in her life. To feel the joy and freedom of loving herself. Of basking in the love of others. One small step at a time she ventured forth into this new world. Terrified, courageous, unknowing, yet determined, one step at a time she moved forward.