For a Friend in Her Time of Sorrow
My dear friend, but for the clouds in your eyes;
The sun failed to rise. But rise it did today,
Just as it always has and always will.
The sunshine and light you seek is not to be found
Even on the fairest of days, but rather it can be found
In the heart, where your Joy has retreated for protection
For a safe haven given its constant overexposure.
You give joy with every kind act you perform, and
With every smile you so freely provide to all,
Yet the one thing you are missing in your life
Is a true love of your very own. You search for this love
In the morning sun, when perhaps the lover you seek
Can be found standing in an evening rain,
His eyes beaming with the love he brings…
T.S. 2009 ©
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CrazeCzar
fingerlakeswanderer
Sparking
Tjitske
AshKW
Kate Bishop
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Rated
You are a big man in my eyes.
Sometimes the most sensitive and wonderful people on this earth, suffer the most. They feel too much, and I think it can be overwhelming to the point where, as you so eloquently explain:
Joy retreats to the heart, for protection. For Now.
My Father was like that - such a gentle giant (Grey Cup winning defence man for the Calgary Stampeders, in his day) yet so sensitive he would burst into tears listening to Nat King Cole and Barbara Streisand.
Rated with warm hugs
The poem is excellent and from one loving and caring heart to another that is in pain. The poem itself proves that there is love and caring and that there is a beauty in the very act of reaching out to someone that you care about in their time of need.
The reaching out is a gentle act of kindness, and I hope that it reminds your friend of just how loved and wanted she is by her friends, and now by every person who reads this poem and is touched by the love within it.
Sometimes when we hurt so deeply the pain captures all the beauty that life offers and holds it hostage. We think that we are not important, that we really don't matter, than the world would be better off without us.
Nothing could be further from the truth. All are wanted. All are needed. Each of us is a unique, gifted, precious child of God, and each has a role to play in this world. We need to know that and believe the truth of it.
The only thing that can cut through the pain is the love of others for us, because we are too far gone in the grip of the pain to love ourselves. Tell your friend that she is loved, that she is needed, that she is worthwhile and an integral and important part of your and our lives. She needs to know that and to open her eyes only just enough to let the love in, to soothe, to relieve the sorrow and grief.
Healing angels softly begin to bring us once again to the place where we can think a tiny thought of hope, can have a desire to see a sunny day, or walk in a quiet place and sense the presence of the holy. Those are not small and trivial things, they are sacred gifts that begin to lift us up toward a new tomorrow. And they all begin when someone who loves us reaches out to us, as you have done here.
Your friend is in my prayers. As are you. God bless you both.
Monte
To your friend: The following is a comment (with a few changes and additions) that I very recently made to an OS member, Rolling. She posted, “It is hateful, irritating, annoying being alive”. http://open.salon.com/blog/nabina_nag/2009/06/29/it_is_hateful_irritating_annoying_being_alive.
I was the last person to leave a comment. I’m sure she would love to hear from others. Please OS members, if you have the time, please give Rolling some love.
So Friend here it goes. Take what you can use and leave the rest.
I suffer from clinical depression and I have the same negative thoughts sometimes. Sometimes life just doesn't seem worth the effort and all the helpful tips from well meaning family and friends just don't cut it.
First and most importantly, DO NOT beat yourself up for feeling depressed. It's okay. Many people suffer from this illness and yes it is an illness.
If you have been depressed for more than 2 weeks then you may be suffering from a chemical imbalance. Clinical depression has many symptoms: loss of interest in things that you once considered enjoyable, increase or decrease in appetite, weight loss or weight gain, thoughts of suicide, sleeping too much or too little, trouble concentrating, suicidal thoughts, a sense of hopelessness, irritability, withdrawal from family and or friends, extreme fatigue and other symptoms that I can't recall right now. There is a lot of info on the web about depression.
The good news is that there are wonderful medications out there that can correct the imbalance. Please, if you think you may have a chemical imbalance seek help. Call your local crisis center and find out what you options are. If things get really bad, just dial 911. I use to work in a crisis center and the police would sometimes bring in someone who was suicidal. The police are trained to sensitively respond to this sort of thing and my interactions with them were always positive.
It was my job to determine if the patient needed hospitalization (at no charge) or counseling or an appointment to see a physiatrist. The key questions to ask someone who is suicidal is 1) Have you ever attempted suicide? 2) Do you have a plan? Do you have the means? If they answer yes to any on these questions then it is very serious.
Please feel free to PM me if you want. T.S. can tell you how. I don't usually (never) practice on the internet, I used to be clinical therapist and if I can be of any help to you, I would be happy to advise you on getting the help you need. Money is not an issue as there are clinics that provide sliding scale fees. Many pharmaceutical companies will provide your medications at no charge if you can't afford them.
I have been close to suicide a few times and I am always go glad later that I didn’t do it. It hurts so many people. You would be surprised how this kind of news affects people who barely even know you. And things always got better for me. I’ve had many happy times afterwards. Whenever I’m really happy, I reflect on my former state of mind and find that I am thankful to still be here.
Don’t let this beat you!
You have options,
Rated for talent and kindness :)
I want to reach out and give you a kind word which can, maybe, ease your way but I don't know which one to give. So I'll open up my heart and you reach in and take the ones you need.
Please accept a warm hug from someone who has been in a similar place and knows how hard it can be. The sun will start to shine again so be ready.
Your friend,
Sharon
"Yet the one thing you are missing in your life
Is a true love of your very own. You search for this love
In the morning sun, when perhaps the lover you seek
Can be found standing in an evening rain,"
brilliant - you speak her vision into our hearts with much love.
peece,
dj
It takes a little time for some to realize that our true love is the one who's reflection is in the mirror. When we embrace ourselves for the loving individuals we are, we attract what we most desire in others. Genuine Love of Self, reflects beauty outward and brings us the love we so need and want when we least expect it. Love brings healing, new strength and a new start to each day.
My heart is with you and the one for whom you dedicate this post.
Rated
At the request of a friend two weeks ago I tried an experiment; part one was to try and respond with the same or similar anger, sarcasm and vile as did the people who commented. I believe Joan saw some of that and having failed to read the post she naturally assume I was a mean and nasty Republican...actually I'm just a tad left of Anarchist...like the authors of our Constitution.
Part two I decided when a dear friend of mine (a dyed in the wool Liberal) felt she was losing control of her company (employer of over 150), her marriage has become one in name only, she is menopausal and very depressed. She expressed these deep feelings to me (she is also editing my book which may explain her depression).
I decided to do what I do best, no not write a commercial for her, the other thing I do best, write a short poem for her.
It can be found on my latest post. What is amazing is the sincere outpouring of love the poem received for my friend...from the very same people who a week before were calling me names and insinuating (as I believe you did) that I was and ignorant unloving person who was out of touch with reality and peoples needs.
I respond with this because as the title said, "Yes We Have No Politics Today, Only Love for One Another"
But again, to all of the people who have commented. You are living proof that what can bring us together is not to be found in our politics but rather in our Love of Humanity.