prose/poem about human fragility. pain/caring/being,etc.
...life?
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Echoes of one's own oddity play on and on, without pause or respite. Who among us does not hurt most at our own painful peculiarities? Why Can't A Leopard Change Its Spots? Is that the beauty of the Animal Kingdom? Yes, we, too are part of that kingdom, only we are driven by more than simple survival in the Ecosystem. We are Souls within the System. We own Minds that do not always bow to Nature's will -- or the will of others, or even our own. We are painfully unique. The Leopard may lay dying, in horrible pain. The Leopard Will die with his spots. and we may never know his pain and he cannot know ours. We THINK, with our minds and hearts and spirits. and there are some of us who break. There is no pain that resembles that of broken minds, human spirits grasping at survival, trying to find some way to deal with the realities of everyday human life. We men, we women who seek, fear, love, deny, abuse and care. We wander within ourselves. We wander without and elicit smiles, love, disappointment and even the deepest fears of others. We seek solace in another's arms, another's strength and we hold fast and sigh. We use and misuse ourselves and others, burn with passion, fly on wings of joy. And, tiny specks that we are, we make our way. We do it with courage or need, using whatever defense we have, bold or groping, whatever works... even inane, habitual ritual. We need each other. We need the echoes of others, the reassuring echoes of kindness, acceptance...love. but again, there are some of us who break, who hear only the echoes of our pained hearts/minds/spirits... unable to change our spots. Desperation is futile, change is not. Stagnation breeds fear and echoes of separation. Risk brings pain, but it carries reward. Can you see the leopard and his spots unchanged as he lays dying? Can you see the unchanged spots of those who lay beside him, afraid to reach out? Will you listen to the echoes of their pain? I want to see the hearts of the broken and soothe their spotted minds. I want to blanket them with kindness and mute the echoes of the sour music playing within their fear. I want, myself as well, to listen to the kindness of those who offer it. I want to follow them as they offer it to others and marvel at the smallest smile of one who feels their welcoming touch -- if even for a fleeting moment. I want to see in their eyes that moment of silenced fearsome echoes. I want to join them in their courage to change and their willingness to share. I want to know these others. I want to know that they exist. I WANT TO FEEL THE COLORS OF PEACE. I WANT TO CHANGE THE SPOTS THAT DIM MY EYES AND SCREECH THE SOUR SONG THAT ECHOES WITHOUT PAUSE INSIDE THIS BROKEN CHILD I AM WITHIN. I WANT TO DANCE AWAY THE HURT OF MY OWN ODDITY. I WANT TO CARESS IT AND REVEL IN IT, SO THAT I MAY KNOW THE SILENCE AND WONDER OF CHANGE. for you see, i have been one of the broken. and now you know the secret i've been holding... Come, then and look. Come listen. I am willing now to dare to reveal the scars within these echoes of my oddity. Come closer and see my slowly changing colors. And if you dare to take my hand, to truly see, I will thank you and ask you to join me. and then I will ask to join you in seeking out the broken others. their echoes are now what we will dare to hear together. |