When we reflect back on the route we took to come to know ourselves there appears to be no one way to describe how we arrived where we are now.
Some will tell us it was and still is difficult. They’ll tell us it’s not always the good that moved them forward that it was often the not-so-good. They’ll tell us it was daunting to face their history instead of taking flight over it.
However, they’ll also tell us that their relationships started to change. That they had stronger connections. That they communicated more effectively without compromising a part of themselves or another. They’ll tell us they laugh more now. That there is more hope than ever before. They’ll tell us they’ve quit sweating the small stuff and that most of it was small stuff. They’ll tell us they did whatever it took to think about what was working and not so much about what wasn’t…and they’ll tell us that it was difficult to do on some days. They’ll tell us it was lonely work and yet they felt more alive than ever before. They’ll tell us they started attracting good people and people who respected them and were interested in knowing more about them. They’ll tell us they were kinder and more compassionate towards others. They’ll tell us their timelines no longer owned them, that they had a sense of freedom, finally. They’ll tell us they mourned the fact that the people they wanted to love them couldn’t love them the way they wanted, but they figured out a way to love themselves. They’ll tell us how important it is keep ourselves safe, and to protect ourselves from the attack of others is essential to our well-being. They’ll tell us it’s a long road but if we don’t look too far ahead it’s more than doable and worth the ride. They’ll tell us they wouldn’t change a thing and that their worlds have opened up beyond anything they could have imagined. They’ll also tell us that the need to find place and purpose in life is a greater need than experiencing pain.
….and they’ll also ask what do we have to lose other than ourselves, if we don’t at least try.