Trauma

Trauma is the ultimate experience in which our reality—our world shatters, and through which we struggle to collect and reassemble the pieces.  We are left in the aftermath to make sense and meaning out of it all, and answers and solutions do not come without their own monumental struggle.  Our usual coping mechanisms and solutions often fail us.  Try as we might, the trauma finds its way back into our mind, unwelcomed and ever-returning.  And all this to say, that no escapes life without coming face-to-face with trauma.  To be human, and to be alive, is to experience trauma.  And the ultimate experience of trauma is one of hopelessness and powerlessness.  

Trauma may be an inescapable aspect of our lives, but it is rarely ever the same in its expression.  Trauma comes in many forms, shapes, colors, and textures.  It might be sudden and acute-—or it might be slow and insidious.  It can range from childhood trauma, to an unexpected accident, to a toxic and abusive relationship, to the death of a loved one.  Regardless of the trauma, the experience leaves scars both in our psyche and in our body.  Whether we know it or not, trauma has a hold on us in ways that are hard to put words to.   But this does not mean that we cannot heal, and that we are fated to succumb to the pain and suffering.  

We are not powerless in the face of our trauma, though we may feel powerless at many times in our journey of healing and recovery.  We can bear witness to our trauma, rather than silencing it, as is the norm in today’s culture.  Though our efforts may feel futile and hopeless at times—we can persevere and learn to carry our trauma with new pride and meaning.  In the same way that our past makes us  who we are—trauma informs and shapes our Being.  Though our trauma does not have to define us, it can transform us into a stronger individual, with a new sense of purpose and vitality.  It is my personal belief that trauma can open up a new future—a bright and beautiful horizon, we may have never envisioned before.  Through hope, holding, and compassion-- we can heal.