Betrayal Makes Us Stronger
We have all been betrayed, each and every one of us at one time or another. Betrayed by friends, family, lovers, co-workers, the government, the military, politicians; the list is there, each day someone else adds a name, citing the elements of the duplicity.
Growth comes with adversity; it challenges us to face head-on the obstacles before us. It can drop us to our knees, take our breath away, temporarily strip us of our dignity, break our hearts in two and somehow we find our way to the surface again, where the air is gentle and our thoughts begin to clear.
Each time it happens, the pessimistic side is nodding, "uh-huh … told ya' so, told ya it would happen again … see, it happened again, uh-huh." The optimist side is wary, but views it as another lesson, another way to move forward, to find other solutions, to strengthen the resolve to make the changes necessary to make a difference.
Sometimes in our quest to prevent a reoccurrence, our vision is altered. While we are at the front door with a watchful eye, it quietly slinks in the back door, out of sight, out of mind and eventually what was concealed is blatantly obvious.
Our reactions of shock, anger, hurt, and dismay are natural. We may choose to lash out in anger, confronting our antagonist, or we may assess the situation and find a different perspective and method of approach. Either way, most often the validity of our points are disregarded because the antagonist is likely closed to any other ideas.
Betrayal becomes the proverbial jagged thorn that pierces our thoughts and emotions. Strength begins to occur when we uncover the awareness that we have some control over how it affects us. We can limp along in a state of denial, band-aid the situation and only pay attention to the pain when someone points it out to us, or we can stand up and acknowledge that it is time for the thorn to be removed.
We get stronger because we learn the lessons, we accept the challenge to push past the anguish and move forward. We quit looking out the front door and ignoring the back, we stand in the middle and we stand strong in knowing that we can see and react in a more productive way, in way that brings about change.
We get stronger because we must. We stand as warriors and we stand strong. We face betrayal with our strengths, with our knowledge of who we are, with conscious awareness that we can defeat this adversary; as long as we keep standing.
© Orannhawk
It Was Just One Of Those Days
there were times when everything felt magical
the mundane became a mystical adventure
the innocent determination
the surety of self awareness
talent, trust, creativity
encapsulated and woven into my psyche
never questioned
it was, in its simplest form
clarity
precise and sharpened
honed with nothing more than
absolute belief
dream it, do it
there's always a way
if it's meant to be
trust and it will come
over time
shadows spilt over the path
pushing
intruding
scattering doubt
raining obstacles
stumbling
time and again
fragments shatter across the path
shards cut into the sole
bleeding
shards cut into the soul
belief
be lie
there were times when everything was magical
i painted mundane into mystical
a door closed
a window opened
i gave before i would take
still holding
still trusting
still dreaming
belief
before it
shattered
and i
watched
watched
as the remains
were swept away
while my soles bled
while my soul bled
pieces
gathered up
by other hands
slivers, shards, scraps
pasted, taped
like badges
unearned
opportunity knocks
subtle taps or
subtle traps
set
to remind me
perhaps mock me
could i pretend
could i
hold that space of illusion
transform it
into the
tangible
re-form
pieces
of innocent belief
to bandage
the soul
to cushion
the soles
could i
would a hand be at the door
freely assist
willing to
believe
in my dreams
see what
i can create
see
beyond the obstacles
trust in me
until the illusion of belief
returns
to the
truth of belief
before
emptiness
is stronger
than
the
memory
of
who
i
am...
when i painted mundane into magical
© Orannhawk
Remember "The Knee"
Bull Sitting at Knee, with Bigfoot’s Buffalo,
Warrior’s Kin, Now Blanketed Snow,
Six Score ago, Gold for the Train.
300 Hearts Silent, O Winter’s Pain.
~ Bob Schmidt