crumbling pedestals

when you're elevated on a pedestal of sorts, it's a long way to go when you fall.

(also, it hurts when your face and ego kisses concrete.)

i'd say it would hurt quite a lot.

there's the time where you're put on a high pedestal with assumptions of

'she's smart, she's a genius'

'she's brash and takes no shit'

'she's independent'

'she can take care of herself'

'she can take whatever life throws at her..'

..or whatever the like.

.

.

.

then your pedestal starts shaking,

when you start to slip up, when you don't perform up to par or your grades aren't as good as expected, or when the weight of the world's just too much.

there's no one else to hold you up because they assume you'll be fine on your own.

words have never actually bounced off you, but rather you've quietly absorbed the blows and hidden the bruises.

when you're vulnerable and scared and tired, but you have no one to turn to for comfort.

when your shoulders are wet from everyone's tears but your own drop silent onto the ground.

when life gives you too much to handle and you're cracking under its weight without anyone to help you up.

when your pedestal is crumbling underneath your feet and you have nothing to fall on.