"It is done," he said. "I will never hit you again."

But it was too late.

She had already learned to hit herself.

She had already inherited the legacy of self-abuse…the inheritance of a people raised on "You aren't good enough as you are so I have to punish some sense into you."

She had already learned that she was a "bad" girl only hoping to someday have a taste of her own goodness, if ever she could prove herself worthy of it…if ever she could toe the line the Voice of Authority drew for her long enough to deserve love.

The problem was, she could never be good enough for that Voice. It didn't know how to love. It only knew how to rule. Criticize. Threaten. Punish.

But she didn't realize that.

She trusted in its authority, more than she trusted in her own…and learned to use the same voice on herself that it used on her…learned the art of self-denial and suffering and life-is-hard-so-just-get-used-to-it.

And get used to it she did. She got so used to it she wouldn't have known real Love if it stood in front of her waving a sign for one hundred years.

She was lost to herself.

And the years went on and so did she…being sure not to expect too much of her life so she wouldn't be disappointed. And using that whip on herself if she strayed too far from the Rules of Acceptable Behavior.

The sad part was that she didn't even know that it was her own self-imposed ridiculously high standards that kept her all locked up inside herself and shut off from the Treasure that she had come here to find.

It was such a precious jewel she was seeking that she just knew it had to be somewhere else…some great distance from where she lived.

She didn't know the Jewel was her own Self waiting to be released from the Prison of Unnecessary Cruelty in which she dwelled.

And so she searched long and hard while her life remained over here and the jewel over there…

Until one day she saw a tiny glimmer of light shining in the distance of her own heart and there was something familiar about it…something that felt good and right….

And she realized that she wanted it…..wanted to move towards it…wanted to be where it was more than she wanted anything else in the world.

And so she dared to set her sights on it…which was very brave because her Inner Warden of Unnecessary Cruelty didn't want her to have it…didn't want her to see her own light, or move towards it….let alone discover that It was Who She Really Was.

It liked the darkness and wanted to keep her there….and she had come to like it, too….in the way that familiarity and self-denial makes you believe that what's best for you is what you currently have….

But as time went on, she kept finding herself looking for that jewel…reading and writing about it and seeking out people who believed in it and wanted to show it to her….wanted her to have it, even.

In some ways, it became a contest of wills…her newly discovered Possible Self against the Warden's old ways…and it seemed like every step in the direction of the treasure was met by an episode of the Warden putting her back in her place.

But something in her would not be deterred…Something was determined to see what was on the other side of that light that kept drawing her to ItSelf.

It seemed like forever that she kept crawling along, trying to make her way in that right direction she kept sensing and wanting….

She seemed to keep finding and losing her way…and it would get oh so discouraging and she would doubt….but the glow of the Treasure began to get brighter…and she began to feel closer to It….and an inner smile began to light up her days and she was happier more and more of the time…

She saw that she could still be slowed down, but knew more and more that she could not be stopped.

She didn't know yet that there was a higher task that she needed to accomplish. She didn't know that to get to the light in any kind of lasting and significant way, she had to confront the darkness inside her…

She had to call it out from its special hiding place so she could see the hold it had on her…really hear its ugliness….really appreciate the power she had given it…..and journey to the place where its jurisdiction met her newfound ease of Being….

It was necessary for her to discover that she could withstand the full force of its Cruelty just by refusing to run from it or succumb to it any longer…..She had to discover that she could stand her own ground in its intimidating presence.

She also had to discover that behind the Warden's supposed power was a strength of her own she had never suspected was there….a kindness she didn't know existed or was possible to exercise, especially to herself….a part of her she could trust and that could provide her with steady and perpetual access to the Treasure of her own Being….

And it was good…and she was glad…and so happy to say goodbye to suffering…and hello to the Precious Treasure of her own Being….

So glad to see that the battle was over….and that she no longer had to fight to be herself….that it really is possible to end the reign of Unnecessary Cruelty when you open your heart to the Jewel of your own Kindness, Inner Strength and Self-Love.