All people experience a wounding. The wounding reveals a potential within the individual. Some experience weakness; others encounter strength. Many see choice; several perceive constraint. The subsequent path is directed by these influences, yet it is bolstered by a lifetime of stories, lessons and meanings.
In the moments after wounding, we are reminded; we experience the past in the present. In an instant, a story, a lesson comes into frame, and a reaction is triggered. And yet for many, there is the presence of mind to pause. A created moment of resiliency and choice empowers the wounded to explore an uncharted course, an unknown path that with each step unfolds with apprehension, tension and exhilaration.
And as the path evolves, the wound heals imperfectly, a scar that is a constant reminder that the journey began with a separation, a pain, damage. The wounded and scarred never had the intention to be a hero, a title which is bestowed by others; instead the wounded only made a conscious choice to turn their pain into something different. The mark of the wounded is the sign of a warrior. An emblem, an insignia that bellows out that choice has a cost and a future, that vulnerability is a gift and that the unknown allows beauty to flourish.
But loneliness is the reward for the wound; it is the natural order of things. Clinging to the old opinions who could never understand the agony, aching and damage endured to reach this place, we struggle to find comfort in a bosom that no longer exists, nor wants us. We cannot be alone; we shall not be divorced from who we thought we were. And again, the wounded face a choice. Eliminate the scar by devaluing the journey, the pain, the choice or accept that we will never be unscathed and perfect, the only real possibility.
The warrior’s path is lonely but it is not quarantined. Our choice, our experience is unique because no one else has seen life through our eyes, yet we all can recognize a scar for the promise it generated for the guardian who proudly owns the badge.
Your wound was a blessing. It was a promise you made to yourself to change. It was the first step to finding your imperfection. It is your past, present and future.
Your wound was your destiny. It does not define you. It does not strangle you. It is the reason for your brilliance.
Your wound happened. For a reason. And it is not your last. Celebrate!
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This post is republished on Medium.
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Powerful words…….touching especially for those who are struggling with themselves.. trying to keep their faith and belief in themselves. ..love it!