The Healing Began

feeling dirty, ashamed and damaged,
she hid her story.
not knowing that the woman next to her also hid hers.
and the next woman, and the next.
finally someone whispered the truth.
and their eyes met,
and their tears came,
their heads nodded softly,
and their arms reached out.
holding each other gently, telling their stories,
the healing began.
© Terri St. Cloud