Permission to be destroyed

TheFeatheredSleep

25-wasting-time

There’s an old saying, the man felt sorrow because he had no arm

until he met a man who had no leg

comparison being an uncomfortable bed mate

all of us could do with sinking to our knees

mindful our own aches in the sum of things

matter and matter less

not dismissing but appreciating

someone out there is worse off

when I feel betrayed I recall

someone else was betrayed twice as bad

when in the eighth month of pregnancy

he said I’m leaving

when I feel lonely I think

of those who lost everyone and never

regained belonging

when I feel sorrow

it is the sorrow of those who survived

concentration camps only to find light

once more

that keeps me endeavouring to do my best

even if I fall

even if I cannot always

by that I do not diminish

anyone’s hurt

but it is worth considering

if others survived

we too

can pick ourselves up

and not give permission

to be destroyed

39 thoughts on “Permission to be destroyed”

  1. Oh yes. This was always my thoughts when I would take my littlest for surgeries at Children’s. I would tell myself almost like a mantra, “it could be worse…”

  2. Sometimes it REALLY doesn’t help though … but it’s omnipresent in the back of our minds maybe – like an unseen life-guard or comparison. Maybe we only know things through comparison like love/hate or happiness/sadness

  6. Beautifully done. I kinda see this as being grateful for the things going right in our lives. Hard to do at times but important for keeping on.

  9. Yes, it could be worse. Maybe not immediately do we think it though it does dawn on us and helps us be grateful for what we have. Having survived ovarian cancer ( 28 years survivor) I am grateful as too many die from it far too early.

  12. Dear Dear Helene lovely lady, thank you for your kindness in reading this, and for your shared story. 28 years survivor, is something to be very glad of, and I wish you many, many more. Most of all I do believe as you say, gratitude for what we have is the grace we learn in this life if we pay attention, not always infallible but I hope, helps in our understanding xo Happy New Year my friend xo

  13. Dear Wallace my friend – thank you for reading this and your comment which is always so appreciated. I agree, honoring pain is crucial! I think I write about this a lot and I wanted I suppose to reflect back this idea of also being grateful for surviving. Thank you again my friend

  15. Dearest Victory, thank you for your kind words and reading this. I do agree – very hard to do I often bemoan rather than appreciate, hence the reminder 😉 But it’s a good starting point xo Happy New Year!

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