How to bend, not break
Being broken doesn't mean we need fixing; it means accepting the pieces we put back together will never be pristine.
Five years ago, I was in really bad shape both mentally and emotionally. I felt broken and lost and I thought I would never find myself again. Later that year, I began writing poetry again and the healing began.
Little did I know that I would meet a very special kindred spirit two years later. It was a totally unexpected reconnection that evolved into a very special friendship. Spending time with someone who was equally broken healed and helped both of us, transforming our wounds into beautifully imperfect scars.
And so we evolved from people who resented our scars into two human beings who recognised our own humanity and life experience in them. Eventually the resentment transformed into a healthy respect for the scars, now badges of honour for having survived pain and despair.
As I sit here at my desk reflecting on those scars, I want to share a poem I wrote about them and the healing process:
Lost Souls
You came my way
On a sunny morning,
Hungry for attention.
I grudgingly let you
Trespass my territory.
I walked past you
Ignoring your complaints
While I sank further
Into my cushion of gloom.
So complacent was I
That I didn’t notice
You had crept up behind me,
And whispered secrets
Into my stubborn ears.
The words melted my resistance,
Opening a well of sorrow.
And I found that you understood
What it is to pity oneself
And to feel self-compassion.
You’re the twin flame
To my lost soul,
The one who knows
What it’s like
To swim in the darkness.
Let’s get lost together
And find the light again,
In a comforting shelter
From the torment of our memories.
Trust the journey,
And we’ll find ourselves again.
I don’t know what or who you’re dealing with in your life at the moment, but trust me on this: you’ll find your way to the light again, one way or another. Wishing you well!
Love and light,
Sharmila