The sum of it all

In my counsellor chair, I hear a lot.

They speak and I listen, the strings of my heart twisting in knots that require effort to untie.

Sometimes I am together, and other times the tears win.

I hear of loss and pain, & struggles and inner turmoils that are difficult to express in words. Sometimes, we just stare at each other for the hour, the silence a kind of a protective wall. They want to see how far I am willing to go to either break down the wall, or jump over it. It is an unspoken trust building exercise.

I also hear stories of redemption and triumph, hope and growth, peace and contentment, and love. Stories that leave me in awe as they paint for me their own picture of beauty from ashes. 

All these stories I can relate to in some way, and that forms a connection, one that tells the aching soul facing me that they are heard and more importantly, understood. At the junction where we meet they are able to drop off a few kilos of weight, and though they may still feel heavy, this rest stop has given them a bit of time to garner some iota of strength to take the next small step forward.

The Wizard of Oz is a cartoon well known and is one that has been a favourite of many for almost 80 years. I think this is so because it is a creative masterpiece with a relatable storyline. You and I could easily swap places with one or more of its characters because at one point or another, we have also been in search of something. Personally, I related most with the cowardly Lion because there have been moments in my life that the one thing I needed most was courage. However, other life experiences, particularly in my dealings with stank boys, I was in good company with Scarecrow because apparently I had lost my brain and needed it back. The heart I have always had and though it has received it’s fair share of hard blows, it has thankfully remained resilient.

The link for all the characters, The cowardly lion, Scarecrow and Tin Woodman was Dorothy, a cute lil’ girl whose only desire was to make it back home to Kansas. The sweet thing is that even though she had her own goal and was dealing with her own anxieties about being away from home, she still had it in her to stop, ask questions and carry with her those she met along the way. Her own needs did not keep her from seeing the needy. She extended a helping hand, provided words of encouragement and selflessly allowed the broken bunch to journey with her to the the light at the end of the tunnel, the one who had the power to send her home and make the others whole.

In our own little circles we have loved ones and acquaintances that are fighting battles unknown, and are either growing weary or already there. Unfortunately, we miss it because we are so caught up in our world. Yes! I know, life is crazy busy, but it only takes a second to check in. A text message or a phone call goes farther than you may think. People are generally not quick to say they need a helping hand, but I find that when the offer is made there is at least a 50% chance that they’ll reach out and grab it.

Life can be a rollercoaster, and everyone at one point or another needs someone on either side to keep steady, including you.

When Moses hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up — one on one side, one on the other — so that his hand remained steady till sunset. |Exodus 17:12|

Happy monYAY! 💕