Day 13
Oh you -
Who want to speed up the process
and
“get over it already”
Do you speak the same words,
with the same restlessness & haste
When your wounds are physical?
Well, surely, though you cannot see it
Emotional wounds go far deeper than the dermis of the skin
And yours is a massive gash
The likeness of which can be understood
only -
By those who have experienced it themselves
But also -
By those who have had an organ removed
during a surgical procedure
But even that was performed under general anesthesia
With the help of painkillers, around-the-clock
With doctors and nurses at your beck & call
With the sole purpose of aiding in recovery.
But you, my friend?
We?
We had this piece of us -
That had been interwoven within every aspect of our lives
Ripped out, from within us
Overnight; without much warning
Leaving a wide gash
Like that of an abdominal surgery
The same feeling of being gutted in the stomach
After a hefty punch
Yet, hollow & empty
With a void in its place
With no hospital bed, or painkillers, or gauze for debris
In fact, we hide our wound from our loved ones
And suffer in silence
Yet, we talk about a speedy recovery and moving on;
We want the clocks to hurry and show us the final form
Of ourselves, after our scars have healed
And the hyperpigmentation has faded away..
While a scab has not even formed
Over this wide gash
That still oozes fresh blood with sudden movements in memories.
Let me ask again:
Would you have the same disdain and annoyance
If this scar was physical? After a car crash?
Because surely, at times it feels as if we were rear-ended
By societal norms, expectations, and uncertainties
Sending us hurling, headfirst into the airbag of our suppressed
emotions
So how, then, can we be so impatient with ourselves?
Why are we so angry at ourselves?
My dear, it is not your fault.
You are the victim
of this thing called - Fate.
And your only crime was to fall in love
With the wrong culture, the wrong time, or the wrong person
So extend yourself the same compassion, kindness, and patience
As you would for your ailing loved one
Surely, your wounds may be invisible
But they far surpass the extent of tangible ones
And just the same, the healing process will touch every fiber of
your being
So be patient, my love
Only through the ashes, does the phoenix rise
Once again.