Discussion: Broken Bones… Wounded Spirit
(May is Mental Health Awareness Month since 1949 … The purpose of Mental Health Awareness Month is to raise awareness and educate the public about: mental illnesses, such as the 18.1% of Americans who suffer from depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder;[9] the realities of living with these conditions; and strategies for attaining mental health and wellness. It also aims to draw attention to suicide, which can be precipitated by some mental illnesses. Additionally, Mental Health Awareness Month strives to reduce the stigma (negative attitudes and misconceptions) that surrounds mental illnesses.)
May 21, 2021
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Through the decades it has been shown that this familiar saying is not entirely true. As we look out at the world now, we have to update this saying with sticks and stones may break my bones, but words break (wounds) my spirit. Built within the human body is the ability to heal itself. On occasions, with the help of medicine, we treat the symptoms while the cause heals or through surgeries. We overlook our broken spirit and carry the wounds of it, sometimes for a lifetime.
Wherein medicine or surgeries can help to bring our body back to semblance of being whole (or as close as possible to physical wholeness). We can’t heal the spirit in the same way. We don’t treat the root cause but only the pain. If you cut yourself with a knife while cooking, you wouldn’t later go into the kitchen and take the same knife again and cut yourself on purpose. By now you are thinking… crazy. How could someone do this and continue to cause their body so much pain? Their wounds can never heal, but only get worst. In fact, this practice will only cause their physical body to continue to hurt and be open up to other infections.
Inside we carry wounds, continually applying them outwardly to our life. With our thoughts we activate the pain, sometimes daily. Meaning for many, they have taken up residence and live in that place of hurt. Those places can be childhood trauma. For others it can be a failed marriage or relationship, losing a love one to death or betrayal, etc.
We make the mistake of attaching happiness to things outside of us, when they are no longer there, we experience emptiness. We connect our happiness to happenings outside of us. Everything outside of us (even our body) and has an end or expiration date. We forget, everything we see with our eyes is TEMPORARY.
With this thought in mind, where do we go from here? I suggest we turn our attention inward. We are told what we don’t see (our internal organs) are affected by what we do, see and hear. Over the years I believe my life is a product of what I have heard, seen and spoke. How I internalized each has created me. Have I replaced the hurt with new insight? Have I understood that this was their opinion of me? Do I still embrace their violent behavior towards me? Am I holding within what causes me pain? Is my life intertwined with their world as I walk out my life? Am I carrying their pain, creating something within me which was never truly a part of me? Let’s stop and take an inventory of our life. How much of someone else's behavior am I embracing?
If I want to be the very best of me, I can’t be the very worst of someone else. It is time to let go of the other body. For those who are still wearing your childhood inner clothing, pull it off so the adult can exist and experience the life meant for you. We only get to do this once. Whatever you are holding onto is by choice. Your authentic life has been waiting for you to live. Put the kitchen knife away and let the wounds heal.
Thank you for joining me for Friday at Sundown. Remember… Just Breathe!
(5) casting crowns just be held - YouTube
(Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the music in this video)
You can also find me on Facebook and Google under fridayatsundonw4
Thank you!
Resources Corner:
Psychological Trauma
GirlVictorious: Life After Trauma is a blog geared at helping women lead a meaningful, full, and victorious life after going through trauma.
Domestic Violence
National Domestic Violence Hotline can help victims, survivors of domestic violence. Call 1-800-799-7233. Chat w/an advocate on our website. National Domestic Violence Hotline: www.thehotline.org/
Aid for Military Veterans
In an attempt to cope with the pain of overwhelming emotions, sometimes veterans turn to unhealthy relationships, at-risk behaviors, or substance abuse.
Welcome Home is Celebrate Recovery's (CR) tool to help veterans stuck in hurts, hang-ups, and habits. (These statements are from CR’s Homepage). You are not alone! https://www.welcomehome.celebraterecovery.com