Sunday, July 10, 2011

about the fourth of july

patterns : hospital edition, 1.2
everything in the last two months has been knocked off kilter, just a little bit. 

on the fourth of july my best friend got into a severe bicycle accident. multiple days in the hospital, a surgery, a few surgeries to come, and a long recovery, she'll end up being just fine. however, the process is going to be hard - much more so for her, but also for the people who witnessed it. experiencing trauma first hand is much more tolling than one would expect. the images stick forever, constantly wondering what could have been different, what you could have done differently. there's something in your deep conscious that, when you're not right by that person, wonders if they're okay, if they're alive, if they're stable, managing.

trauma happens to every person, at some point, young or old. sometimes we don't recognize it as trauma. other times, it clearly is. the battle is moving from that point. pushing out of it, realizing that life goes on, that there is more for you to give to this world and the people around you. so many people never move from it - continuously stuck in a state of panic & anxiety.

so how do we move on? how do we not live in a constant state of fear & concern?

community. 

people are what matter. no matter what you believe - supernatural, finite, mystical, whatever, we should all be able to agree that people are important. more important than ourselves, in fact. i've been blown away by the people who have offered to help, however they can.

ellie is one of the most caring souls i've ever encountered. genuine, loyal, vibrant, and ever-radiating love. she's taught me so much in our friendship - challenging me, encouraging me, and loving me (even when i'm impossible to love). those friends are hard to come by. and it's by chance that we became friends.

since the accident, every person (that knows or, even, has a hunch) has not only inquired about her well-being, but has offered their services. on top of that many people have been asking how they can contribute to the bills that are about to start piling up.

all the generosity & love is all a little hard to take in. 

i'm excited to see what the future has for us. how we grow, create, are changed. i know that there is good to come of this. while it's hard to see right now, there's something inside that is telling me that we will be extraordinarily changed by this particular fourth of july. and for that, i am excited.

take your challenges, your traumas, the difficult times, and push yourself to find the ways you can grow.   people surround you. they are built to support, encourage, love, and challenge you. take hold of that.
- k. 

2 comments:

  1. beautifully said. :) & please, let me know if you or ellie ever need ANYTHING. I am always willing to help.

    ReplyDelete