Luckiest woman alive that I am, I have many superheroes. They wear different costumes than those depicted in comics or by Marvel/DC. These folks have faced devastating losses and picked themselves back up, only to thrive. People who have outlived children, whether their biological offspring or another's that they have loved and deal with that loss. Every. Single. Day. Cancer survivors, too many to name, who got the diagnosis and got treatment knowing how awful it would be, but chose to live for their families and friends. Survivors of domestic abuse, physical and mental, who greet each day with a smile and know that they can do anything because they have survived hell. Survivors of rape, the kind on tv and in the movies as well as the folks who did not want to be touched, or spoken to, or treated with violence in their most vulnerable spots and just did not have a choice. Every single person who is living through this pandemic is a superhero. The uncertainty of each day, the risk involved in each task, the lack of care expressed by some, and the ferocity to protect themselves of others makes a simple trek to the grocery store or a walk around the block dangerous enough to need preparation time to walk out the door. I live with trauma. My therapist has often suggested that I call these people to me because the trauma informed seek out their own kind. How do you treat trauma? Radical acceptance? Meditation? Retraining your amygdala so that someone waving "hi" too close doesn't make you jump or drop to the deck? Drugs? EMDR? Body work? Journal writing? Throwing yourself into hobbies? Desperately needing to perform because applause is the only approval you understand? Promiscuous sex because that gives you the power? Kick boxing? Karate? Kayaking? Cleaning your house until it shines? Making sure that you are so busy you don't have time to think? Eating all of the food so that you have a literal bodysuit of armor? Losing the weight because it isn't healthy? Putting it all back on with extra when the next hit comes? Self deprecating humor so that you beat them all to the punch? Assuming that there will be a punch that you have to beat them to? Always wanting to make it all ok for everyone all of the time and being disappointed that you can't even begin to fix it for anyone else because you can't even fix yourself? You, the trauma informed, who are taking this on like a pro, you are killing it right now. Yeah, I see you. I know you see me, too. We are all just doing the best we can with what we have. We are all superheroes, now.
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AuthorI make stuff. Sometimes the stuff is pretty, sometimes not. My wife, 2 dogs, 3 kids and 3 cats keep me busy and on my toes. Archives
January 2022
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