Oh God, save me the ugliness of my own pity party this morning.
My mind state is my own though in this moment, I do shake my head in wonder at the journey I’ve chosen for myself.
I wonder at the energy, pain, and vicious attacks that are relentless from a teen. Even as I smooth myself, lose my reactivity, words still hurt. I am to blame for all unhappiness, suffering, failure in her life and she heaps the hurtful words over my head daily. There is no back up, there is no escape, and in her thoughts I am to be punished relentlessly until I cry uncle, and then it still doesn’t end. I am so exhausted and defeated and overwhelmed by the volume of this attacking misery.
When I went into labor to give birth to this child, the pain was relentless. Hours and hours of out-of-body pain (I actually found myself on the ceiling at times), camel backing contractions, and finally my body was torn open from the inside as she and I hung in the state between life and death. The thrashing and ripping was killing us both. This is not a tale I tell. It is very gruesome and difficult, and it took me out of this realm.
I didn’t want to come back. When I was told of the trials ahead, I burrowed into the arms of the immense loving one who held me and said it was all too much. But back I came making a choice to do this life, and yet I do wonder at this thrashing now? Through these words I type, I remember. I was told; I knew it would be tough; I agreed to do this.
I am not reacting anymore, she’s given me that, and I imagine that I have let go of expecting improvement. I imagine myself the sturdy oak tree with deep roots that others are clinging to in the damaging winds of emotions. I imagine there is nothing more asked of me than to remain in my tree body and trust in the roots that we all share.
Jonathan Worthington :: Photos :: Trees blowing in the strong windTrees blowing in the strong wind
I see other families struggle, but ours seems something out of a horror film: words to rip flesh, relentless positioning, love and affection banished forever, though I hold them in an open grab bag for all. I sit in my still point of this hurricane force winds and know…I can only wash the dishes, grade the papers, pick up the mess, go to bed, wake again to tea, and breath, and stillness in a storm that seems it will not let up.
Here are some words for me this morning:
“When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That’s the message he is sending.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh
“Feelings, whether of compassion or irritation, should be welcomed, recognized, and treated on an absolutely equal basis; because both are ourselves. The tangerine I am eating is me. The mustard greens I am planting are me. I plant with all my heart and mind. I clean this teapot with the kind of attention I would have were I giving the baby Buddha or Jesus a bath. Nothing should be treated more carefully than anything else. In mindfulness, compassion, irritation, mustard green plant, and teapot are all sacred.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation
Letting it out in words this morning to avoid a mental, pity party. Sometimes, I’m thinking it helps to let it out, so I can get back to chopping wood and carrying water. 🙂 Posts should come with a warning label…don’t read this! I hope you heeded my advice and didn’t. If you did, I send you love and support in your trials, and share an angry thrash dance with you, too!
Here’s my angry day song:
Life as Improv 