“We each have a story of wounds.
Our wounds need to be shared transparently.
Wounds can heal with forgiveness.
Walking victoriously with our scars can bring encouragement and hope to others.”
Dell Maestra, The Last Grain Of Salt
When I was 16, I got the phone call; it was from a boy I liked. He called to say he liked me too—this post isn’t about him, but what happened after that call. I was so excited that I threw my arms up in the air and jumped accidentally hitting my ceiling fan. I immediately snatched my hand back, covering it, afraid to see the damage. I could feel something wet, and It hurt pretty bad, and as I took my hand away, blood began to gush. All I could see was blood. Panicked, I called for my mother as I ran to the bathroom sink. My mom wrapped my hand in a towel, and we drove straight to the ER. Once we arrived at the hospital, the bleeding had slowed. When the doctor removed the towel, I could see the damage. A deep gash surrounded my pointer finger, almost to the bone.
The trauma I brought to my hand required a few things. One was a huge needle to numb the pain of what it was going to take to restore my hand. The wound also had to be cleared of any glass debris embedded in my skin. Ant then treated with ned with antiseptic to prevent bacteria growth and reduce infection. Then, carefully and precisely, with medical-grade thread, my skin was drawn together so that it could heal.
Humanity has been wounded, fractured, and divided, and the damage, much like the damage done to my hand, can not be fixed through one action alone. We first have to be aware that we are bleeding out and understand the severity of our condition. We have to be real with ourselves and trust the cues our body is giving us that we need help. The chaos we see in our world should be a sign to us all. It is time to address the wound.
Next, we must apply pressure to the problem area. It can’t be ignored; we have to act fast. We must give the problem the attention it needs so that we can reduce the risk and see what the damage is. We can not be afraid to look or cover it up—solutions like that create bigger problems in the long run that could have been avoided. Examining ourself is essential, are we leaving things in the wound that will prevent or complicate our healing? Any remnant that is not a part of the healing process needs to be removed. We must provide the wound with medicine to begin to clean out anything unseen that would compromise healing and allow contaminants to grow from within. This is why our inner-work is so critical. We must be diligent in assessing our involvement in the damage and remove any debris of our actions, words, thoughts, and deeds that prevent proper healing.
Finally, we must use the thread of unity, acceptance, oneness to bring close, which was partially separated by the trauma. Only then can we begin the process of remembering who we are together and what we must collectively do to obtain OUR healing.
Our world is divided; it is a trauma we have all experienced in different ways. We are different parts of the same body. If apart of us is affected, it truly affects all. Trauma to the body has consequences that affect the entire body. Trauma and oppression to a part of society affect all of society. If we do not allow our common humanity to unify us through understanding and practicing oneness, it will destroy us all. It is time we listen to and tend to the needs of the entire body so that we can all experience life as it was intended. Happy, whole, thriving, and everyone reaching their highest potential.
Unifying conversations are the thread in this story. It is a way for us to begin the healing to come back to a collective identity and shared goals after being divided for far too long.