It may not be scientifically provable, but I'd say
there's a preponderance of common sense evidence
to support this.
Look at it this way; no world-ruling guy who has
a micro-cock is going to do that reveal.
Famous big dicks with big dicks include (but
are not limited to) Jack Nicholson, Dick Cheney,
Lyndon B. Johnson, Dan Rather, Colin Farrell,
Rasputin, Frank Sinatra, Milton Berle, &; Wilt
Chamberlain.
There seems a self-explanatory correlation between
big packages and the supreme confidence to go
where you will, do what you want, say what you wish.
Now, which came first; the assumption that a big
dick was their passport to success, or other people's
valuing of the organ as a validation of potency?
It's inconsequential; a big schlong is a hallmark
of masculinity.
The other day, I think I got caught staring at this guy's piece.
I realize it isn't the acceptable thing, especially in public,
but my social graces are nonexistent anyway.
Besides, how can you ignore the elephant in the room
when the trunk is nearly poking your eye out?
I was really rather fascinated and curious; I've not had
the opportunity I guess you'd say, to examine one that
closely in a non-sexual environment before. As someone
who is of average size (or less?) I am curious about the
dynamics of it all. (Yes, this person has an especially
healthy ego, as it turns out.)
I think he caught me looking, and was uncomfortable,
because he moved to where I could no longer have direct
contact. However, at a later point, he made himself visible again,
and in fact seemed to be prominently displaying his package
in ways neither subtle or passive. He was getting off on tantalizing
me and provoking me.
See, even when they don't actually want to pursue anything, boys/men
with big cocks like to get the attentions of others with their
member. Whether it is eliciting desire, envy, or intimidation, there
is power in having impact on other people thus.
I should point out that I am not drawn to a big package out of
sexual designs (what we in the 'community' refer to as 'size queens.')
No, it is truly intellectual curiosity or simply aesthetic interests.
After all, after a certain point, it's rather a waste, technically
speaking. I am not the sort who wants to wind up in the hospital
due to a romp, thank you.
I have heard of a handful (tee hee!) of men with cocks so huge
that they consider it a disadvantage, because finding sex partners
who can accommodate them is difficult and they are always being
looked at for something besides who they are. I feel that, true
as it may be, it is akin to 'having too much money.' Cry me a river.
A male organ's size is--and isn't--directly related to sex. Of course
people have made a worship out of the penis as if it were detachable
from a man. Personally, it's the whole package--not 'the' package--
that attracts me. But there's something about that sense of being
filled up or filed in that some people can't seem to do without.
Penis size is something that can certainly represent virility,
sexual prowess, desirability, and more. But once that is
established, even as an assumption, the penis value becomes a
marketable commodity like any other.
Men use it to intimidate competition and promote superiority,
like beasts in the jungle. Don't ever assume that a man is
unaware of how big his package is or how prominently
displayed it is at any given time. He is always conscious
that he/it is being observed, no matter how disaffected or
nonchalant he may pretend to be. Even prudes and religious
sorts pay heed, even if they remain silent or secure their interest
behind dismayed condemnation or foolish giggles.
We measure worth as we measure tool. The value of a man
is societally-determined by the size of his dick. Not just in the
bedroom, but in the boardroom. In politics. In movies.
In the locker room. In families. In friendships.
Large-dicked men tend always to have profound confidence,
bordering on egomania; they are smug, self-centered, grandiose,
narcissistic,condescending, dismissive, arrogant, driven, expect
to be catered to, presumptuous, and aggressive.
Yes. Because their dicks are big. Believe it.
Penis size is sort of like financial status; you don't talk about it
in polite company. The people that say it 'doesn't mean anything'
are the people trying to project an air of indifference and convince
self, or those trying to promote false modesty.
But since no one talks in an open, intelligent, revealing way,
the myths and feelings of inadequacy are allowed to prosper.
Because the flip side of egomania is that men who don't have
big dicks are--by virtue of wording--"doing without." Comparisons
may in fact be odious, but they are a reality of the world where
we are bombarded with information about others and where
competition is fierce in all areas.
Men, in particular, are taught to gauge worth by virtue
of what they can do that the other guy can't. Similarly,
the idea that "There is no trophy for 2nd place" is a guy
idiom through-and-through. We are merciless with each
other, and ourselves.
Guys are so much more
sensitive to ideas of being
insufficient than we are
'allowed' to reveal. Even
in this age of metrosexuality
and open men, there are
issues we fret over and
beat ourselves up for.
I don't think awareness and
conversation are going
to change anything. This is genetics, biology, social
imprinting, human envy, emotions, and more.
If you can't change a thing, you have to find a way to
accept it. I wish I had thought of the idea of selling
professional fake bulges; that market is booming. If
you can't have it, fake it. Guess I'll work on self-love...
and accepting that I won't be a world leader.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Daily Prescription (2/21)
Relax
Breathe
Shut up
Just do it
Let it go
Walk away
Be strong
Calm the $#@! down
Don't react
Don't assume
Ignore
Pretend
Smile
Stay present
Love
Breathe
Shut up
Just do it
Let it go
Walk away
Be strong
Calm the $#@! down
Don't react
Don't assume
Ignore
Pretend
Smile
Stay present
Love
"Four-for-One"; Special....by THROB (1/22/10)
Alternating between cacophony and void,
No assurances bear fruit,
No promises sustain.
I can mask the horror, but not eliminate it.
What nothingness and brokenness lies before me
is all that I may hope to possess,
and there is nothing contained within
that I desire.
Desolate on every front, Abandoned by all (save lip service on occasion;)
None are concerned nor dedicated to my well being;
Even I--the responsible party--shirk the task, inner demons, battle, enemy.
We are all alone, and alone is something I no longer wish to be.
There are four of us here in the rubble,
and only one is a fighter; that's a '1-in-4' chance of
things going well when the shit hits the fan.
Minuscule pleasures are fleeting, ever lessening in intensity
and frequency (conversely pain is more abundant and profound.)
The body fails, the mind rebels, the heart betrays.....
Others might be surprised to know just how firm
the mask has held; how much lay beyond their purview;
I hide it well. People only see
the smallest sliver of the leviathan that looms within.
My enemy resides within.
Labels:
difficulties,
masks,
Robert Sayre,
schisms,
secrets,
THROB
The Old Grey Mare
I don't want to feel this way any more
I want an end to fear
and worry
and judgment
and physical pain
and lack of connection
and inadequacy
and criticism
and lack of acknowledgment
Always lacking
I am steeped in egotism
and worthlessness,
simultaneously
My world collapses
upon one morning of
absent phone messages
and lonely self-obsession
and empty e-mail accounts
I push away and fear connection
while damning the lack thereof
I desire intimacy yet follow
where no bread crumbs lead.
blessings..by THROB
Inherent in every sideways occurrence on this mud ball,
there lies a blessing.
The lesson might simply be a hard-won fact of life, such as:
"You can't get something for nothing." or
"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." or
"There's a pattern here that I did not realize before."
But something can always come from any situation,
no matter how bitter the taste
or how humiliating the loss of face.
To understand--as never before--how fully we must
rely on no outside means
for sustenance...this is a blessing.
I had lost--excuse me...given away--my Mojo.
I had departed from my self confidence.
I put faith in intangibles and empty promises.
I was concerned about the welfare of others more than my own.
I became distracted by an ideal that is not realistic nor healthy.
I let someone else dictate what my course of action 'should' be.
The burden is, as always, squarely on my shoulders.
My ignorance and softness and naivete' gave way to powerlessness
and despair.
Action and decisiveness was overcome by talking and sharing.
I imagined a concern for my welfare that never was hinted at;
only a desire to regulate my thinking to match another's.
(Brain-washing efforts are tricky; when the techniques and
dogma varies, you forget that it's all the same under
the hood.)
But I'm back in the saddle again; stronger than before.
Resolute. Fearless. Courageous. Indomitable.
Ready for mine; and Universe provide for any who stand
in my way.
I needed to be squashed one final time for the message to be
driven home.
Now there is no sadness that exists here; anger and numbness
fills its place.
I've been blessed with a new perspective...a new lease on life.
Thanks for sharing.
Regrets--I've known a few...by THROB
I don't know
If there's blame.
I never knew
There were
2 different relationships
going on simultaneously.
I never knew You.
Sorry.
If there's blame.
I never knew
There were
2 different relationships
going on simultaneously.
I never knew You.
Sorry.
Labels:
apologies,
blame,
confused affections,
ending friendships,
misunderstanding,
regrets,
THROB
Loneliness as a Wake-Up Call
There's no one calling
'cuz there's no one interested
and that's okay;
Truth hurts but truth rules
There's no one visiting
'cuz I am insignificant
and that's just fact
(we are all flies in the ointment)
No one holds my hand
'cuz I'm meant to do so myself--
or be content without--
and haven't yet learned how
I'm so concerned with others'
opinions and needs that I neglect
my own...
My bad, to be sure
My desperate need for approval,
my desire to be noticed,
my wish to have impact and be worthy,
they crowd out rational thinking
My loneliness is due to
my own skewed view,
placing others' importance
over my delicate hue
I have shirked my responsibility
to me
Labels:
desperate need,
Loneliness,
notice me,
skewed view
Convincing......by THROB!
There can be no convincing you of the things you do not wish to know.
(Being the messenger of unwanted information has caused many a
tragedy, if only for the messenger.)
Your system of denial in place is so immaculately run that you
had me questioning my own comprehension of realities I had
experienced firsthand!
Some things are a given in this world; most everyone denies
the existence of hypocrisy and double-standards, even though the
world is run based on these divisive and corrupting principles.
Allowing for and acknowledging this is similar to people thinking
about their parents' sex lives, or what the ingredients in hot dogs
are. They would just as soon not know.
However...
When you keep people at arm's length, but request them to spill
their guts; there's something going on there.
When you invite strangers over to your home the first night you meet,
but make excuses to keep a supposed friend at bay; there's something
going on there.
When you avoid answering questions and ignore things you don't
want to hear; there's something going on there.
When you respond to a complaint by changing the subject and
assessing blame on the other person; there's something going
on there.
When someone's words are clear and direct and concise, and
you still misinterpret and read weird shit into them; there's
something going on there.
"You might wanna get that checked out."
No amount of smooth-talking, big teeth smiling, denials, or
head-shaking will ever remove that truth from my eyes.
Avoidance of full disclosure is still a lie.
The veil was removed from my eyes; there is a deep schism
within you.
I'm convinced of that...by the Real you that came out to attack me.
Labels:
betrayal,
convincing,
dark side,
duplicity,
false self,
Robert Sayre,
secrets,
Taming The Beast,
THROB,
two-faced
Healing the Past, part One
Those of us who have suffered from abuse can find
one another easily in this old world. We share a sixth
sense regarding fellow survivors; we are drawn to each
others' pain.
We can sense the kinship of a fellow survivor.
I think there is nothing more beautiful or sacred than
two wounded people being able to help one another
because they share a common bond that another just
cannot relate to or understand, no matter how hard they
try. We have a shorthand that transcends words.
Our souls are related.
Other people wish to know such dubious things like;
"What kind of abuse did you suffer?" or
"Was it your parents?" or
"How bad could it have been? You seem all right to me?"
So we have learned to stick to the shadows, neither
expecting nor demanding much from the public or the
'uninitiated' in this regard. Mostly, we have learned to do
for ourselves--for good or for bad--and not have a need
of other people. It may have long been our experience
that to need another person always ends badly. Always.
I am not one who feels the need to delineate between
'levels' of abuse; I will not feel the need to 'trump' your
daily 'slap-in-the-face' with my reveal of systematic
sexual infringement. It is not a contest: hurt is hurt, and
we all are unique in how deeply we are affected. There is
no need to justify our woundedness.
In this era of talk shows that have eroded the lines of public
decency and taste, it is nothing to turn on the TV and see
people blurting out specifics of their troubled past in the
midst of a screaming match on national television. Don't
misunderstand; I am all about transparency...in the right
time and place. Not every bit of information is meant for
every person, and having everyone know our particulars
serves no ongoing purpose.
We may have so much animosity that a dramatic cathartic
purge seems just what the doctor ordered. But all actions
have consequences, and there may come a time when we
wish that not everyone and their brother were privy to such
intimate details. But, definitely, we do need to talk.
Finding the right people who will truly listen, who will not
judge, who will not interpret, and who do not wish to engage
in further abusive behavior as a means of 'overcoming' the
past are all important factors. We can bring up every bit of
hurt and fear each time we share the past with someone, and
we need to be particular about who we open up to.
This can be tricky when your discernment skills have been
tainted and hindered. When your judgment is spotty and faith
in self is low. But there is always hope.
....continued.......
one another easily in this old world. We share a sixth
sense regarding fellow survivors; we are drawn to each
others' pain.
We can sense the kinship of a fellow survivor.
I think there is nothing more beautiful or sacred than
two wounded people being able to help one another
because they share a common bond that another just
cannot relate to or understand, no matter how hard they
try. We have a shorthand that transcends words.
Our souls are related.
Other people wish to know such dubious things like;
"What kind of abuse did you suffer?" or
"Was it your parents?" or
"How bad could it have been? You seem all right to me?"
So we have learned to stick to the shadows, neither
expecting nor demanding much from the public or the
'uninitiated' in this regard. Mostly, we have learned to do
for ourselves--for good or for bad--and not have a need
of other people. It may have long been our experience
that to need another person always ends badly. Always.
I am not one who feels the need to delineate between
'levels' of abuse; I will not feel the need to 'trump' your
daily 'slap-in-the-face' with my reveal of systematic
sexual infringement. It is not a contest: hurt is hurt, and
we all are unique in how deeply we are affected. There is
no need to justify our woundedness.
In this era of talk shows that have eroded the lines of public
decency and taste, it is nothing to turn on the TV and see
people blurting out specifics of their troubled past in the
midst of a screaming match on national television. Don't
misunderstand; I am all about transparency...in the right
time and place. Not every bit of information is meant for
every person, and having everyone know our particulars
serves no ongoing purpose.
We may have so much animosity that a dramatic cathartic
purge seems just what the doctor ordered. But all actions
have consequences, and there may come a time when we
wish that not everyone and their brother were privy to such
intimate details. But, definitely, we do need to talk.
Finding the right people who will truly listen, who will not
judge, who will not interpret, and who do not wish to engage
in further abusive behavior as a means of 'overcoming' the
past are all important factors. We can bring up every bit of
hurt and fear each time we share the past with someone, and
we need to be particular about who we open up to.
This can be tricky when your discernment skills have been
tainted and hindered. When your judgment is spotty and faith
in self is low. But there is always hope.
....continued.......
Healing the Past, part Two
Someone told me early on at a support group that
"We are the cause of all our own pain."
This person was aware that there were survivors of
childhood trauma in this group. He reiterated his point
when I dared mention that children do not choose to draw
abuse into their lives.
I was enraged and resentful and hurt, and all the past
traumas came bubbling back up, relived once more. It
is never the place of another human being to assess or
dismiss our pain. We are not here to pass judgment on
one another in any respect. Perhaps he was dealing with
issues of his own in the only way he knew how, or perhaps
he was callous and insensitive.
The point is; I don't know his motives, and I can't be
concerned about his motives. The unfortunate thing is
that I allowed myself to become so upset by this one
statement that I stopped going to group for months. I
gave up something beneficial to me (here's a reoccurring
theme!) because of one isolated incident. I might could
have been of use to another person during that wasted
time, or I might have gotten support from others present.
But this is something we learned to do early on; give up,
isolate, shut down.
As defenseless children, we had no other options available
to us. One of the most difficult things for 'other people' to
understand is why people 'like us' stay stuck in the past,
frozen in a particular set of skills (or lack thereof.)
"Why can't you just get over it?"
Trauma brings forth such violent emotional charges that
it literally imprints actions and emotions onto our brain,
our body, and our psyche. Like an afterimage on a TV
screen or computer monitor after an image has been
maintained for so long. It lingers with us. The incidents
was so powerful that it superimposes itself on us. For
those who suffer continuous, repetitious abuse, it is
especially fused within us.
Even those who suppress the emotional response into the
subconscious mind (because of inability to fathom or cope in
our innocent state) are still affected at least internally by such
horrors.
We can suppress an external response, but the ill
effects, the schizoid tendencies, the obsessive patterns,
the self-destructive behaviors, the personality extremes
(of being a smart-ass, an abuser, emotionally unavailable,
a rager, a caretaker, a clown, a perfectionist, a loner) all
eventually come out.
The question is whether or not we can identify the correlation
between the emerging issues and the original underlying problems
that sparked them. Until we recognize that one thing is related
to the other, truly overcoming our problems can be difficult.
If we don't comprehend why we think the wrong things, why
certain situations cause fear, why some people make us uneasy...
it may be hard to correct the matter.
This is not a call to just start digging deep into old hurts and
channeling all that pain in an unsupervised, unsafe manner;
there is much in the way of proper preparation and healthy
planning to exploring these issues. But the willingness to begin
the journey can be a task in itself. So many years (and decades
even) of covering up pain, hiding aspects of ourselves, playing a
role for others, avoiding our feelings; these take time, effort,
and ease to overcome.
"We are the cause of all our own pain."
This person was aware that there were survivors of
childhood trauma in this group. He reiterated his point
when I dared mention that children do not choose to draw
abuse into their lives.
I was enraged and resentful and hurt, and all the past
traumas came bubbling back up, relived once more. It
is never the place of another human being to assess or
dismiss our pain. We are not here to pass judgment on
one another in any respect. Perhaps he was dealing with
issues of his own in the only way he knew how, or perhaps
he was callous and insensitive.
The point is; I don't know his motives, and I can't be
concerned about his motives. The unfortunate thing is
that I allowed myself to become so upset by this one
statement that I stopped going to group for months. I
gave up something beneficial to me (here's a reoccurring
theme!) because of one isolated incident. I might could
have been of use to another person during that wasted
time, or I might have gotten support from others present.
But this is something we learned to do early on; give up,
isolate, shut down.
As defenseless children, we had no other options available
to us. One of the most difficult things for 'other people' to
understand is why people 'like us' stay stuck in the past,
frozen in a particular set of skills (or lack thereof.)
"Why can't you just get over it?"
Trauma brings forth such violent emotional charges that
it literally imprints actions and emotions onto our brain,
our body, and our psyche. Like an afterimage on a TV
screen or computer monitor after an image has been
maintained for so long. It lingers with us. The incidents
was so powerful that it superimposes itself on us. For
those who suffer continuous, repetitious abuse, it is
especially fused within us.
Even those who suppress the emotional response into the
subconscious mind (because of inability to fathom or cope in
our innocent state) are still affected at least internally by such
horrors.
We can suppress an external response, but the ill
effects, the schizoid tendencies, the obsessive patterns,
the self-destructive behaviors, the personality extremes
(of being a smart-ass, an abuser, emotionally unavailable,
a rager, a caretaker, a clown, a perfectionist, a loner) all
eventually come out.
The question is whether or not we can identify the correlation
between the emerging issues and the original underlying problems
that sparked them. Until we recognize that one thing is related
to the other, truly overcoming our problems can be difficult.
If we don't comprehend why we think the wrong things, why
certain situations cause fear, why some people make us uneasy...
it may be hard to correct the matter.
This is not a call to just start digging deep into old hurts and
channeling all that pain in an unsupervised, unsafe manner;
there is much in the way of proper preparation and healthy
planning to exploring these issues. But the willingness to begin
the journey can be a task in itself. So many years (and decades
even) of covering up pain, hiding aspects of ourselves, playing a
role for others, avoiding our feelings; these take time, effort,
and ease to overcome.
some day...by THROB
some day,
(not today,)
when you realize
that you:
jumped to conclusions,
assumed the worst,
assassinated my character,
falsely accused me,
perpetuated stereotypes,
wrote me off,
pushed me away,
overreacted,
misinterpreted,
didn't listen,
didn't pay attention,
were guilty yourself,
were channeling society,
were afraid,
were confused,
didn't mull it over long enough,
let the old ways dictate......
you should know
that:
you were forgiven
long ago.
that i understood
you
were not ready
to understand.
that your ability
to see
was limited
by experience and
circumstance and
perspective.
that i was aware of
and culpable
for my part,
as well.
that we were on
two different pages
but not
two different planets.
that it's just
another day
in the neighborhood,
even if we can't
remain
neighbors.
know that you
were forgiven
long ago.
(but not today.)
(not today,)
when you realize
that you:
jumped to conclusions,
assumed the worst,
assassinated my character,
falsely accused me,
perpetuated stereotypes,
wrote me off,
pushed me away,
overreacted,
misinterpreted,
didn't listen,
didn't pay attention,
were guilty yourself,
were channeling society,
were afraid,
were confused,
didn't mull it over long enough,
let the old ways dictate......
you should know
that:
you were forgiven
long ago.
that i understood
you
were not ready
to understand.
that your ability
to see
was limited
by experience and
circumstance and
perspective.
that i was aware of
and culpable
for my part,
as well.
that we were on
two different pages
but not
two different planets.
that it's just
another day
in the neighborhood,
even if we can't
remain
neighbors.
know that you
were forgiven
long ago.
(but not today.)
Labels:
arguments,
ending friendships,
fights,
forgiveness,
friendship,
guilt,
poetry,
Robert Sayre,
some day,
someday,
THROB,
troubled relationships
INVENTORY...by THROB
Compassion is not exemplified by smiling to my face
and trash-talking behind my back.
Understanding is not expressed by saying "It's okay" but
harboring resentments because it really wasn't.
Progress is not made by shoving down emotions and
keeping silent over hurts.
Interest in others is not apparent in obsessing
and substituting addictions.
Acceptance is not shown by giving up on others when
they don't heal on our time table.
I thought these were your lessons to be learned.
Perhaps they were mine.
and trash-talking behind my back.
Understanding is not expressed by saying "It's okay" but
harboring resentments because it really wasn't.
Progress is not made by shoving down emotions and
keeping silent over hurts.
Interest in others is not apparent in obsessing
and substituting addictions.
Acceptance is not shown by giving up on others when
they don't heal on our time table.
I thought these were your lessons to be learned.
Perhaps they were mine.
Little things
I don't much feel like leaving
the house most days...
No purpose worthwhile,
I remain in a haze.
Just as you might desire
a cup of coffee or a bowl of ice
cream, I desire to no longer
be alive. (Only perhaps with
more gusto than a culinary
dream.)
There is a complete void in
my gut and soul. Emptiness,
tiredness, ache, despair.
Helped not the least by
meditation or prayer.
They say "Get outside of
self" to cure the blues...
don't dwell on the past,
don't partake of booze.
I have tried all these remedies
with only the slightest of
aid; I'm afraid this disease
has my tombstone made.
To know that this cycle will
continue endlessly on,
facing each low......
The bottom line is that
"Who Gives A Flip?"
No one else can pull you free
when you fall this deep
We can only help ourselves
in this type of mess
so when we stop caring
it's a definite distress.
It's not self-pity or willfulness
or disbelief or doubt;
this is a trouble you've only
read about.
My soul aches with no end
in sight....no concern from
within, no help, no light.
Prayers are unanswered,
medications don't work,
doctors are quacks,
I know I'm a jerk.
The balance used to be
that some good outweighed
the bad that did come,
but now the bad is pervasive;
to the good I've gone numb.
I'm simply ready.
the house most days...
No purpose worthwhile,
I remain in a haze.
Just as you might desire
a cup of coffee or a bowl of ice
cream, I desire to no longer
be alive. (Only perhaps with
more gusto than a culinary
dream.)
There is a complete void in
my gut and soul. Emptiness,
tiredness, ache, despair.
Helped not the least by
meditation or prayer.
They say "Get outside of
self" to cure the blues...
don't dwell on the past,
don't partake of booze.
I have tried all these remedies
with only the slightest of
aid; I'm afraid this disease
has my tombstone made.
To know that this cycle will
continue endlessly on,
facing each low......
The bottom line is that
"Who Gives A Flip?"
No one else can pull you free
when you fall this deep
We can only help ourselves
in this type of mess
so when we stop caring
it's a definite distress.
It's not self-pity or willfulness
or disbelief or doubt;
this is a trouble you've only
read about.
My soul aches with no end
in sight....no concern from
within, no help, no light.
Prayers are unanswered,
medications don't work,
doctors are quacks,
I know I'm a jerk.
The balance used to be
that some good outweighed
the bad that did come,
but now the bad is pervasive;
to the good I've gone numb.
I'm simply ready.
Missed Connections...by THROB
Careful. Pay attention.
Otherwise, you might miss it.
Telling others' business in a casual way,
but wondering why I don't spill guts with you.
Passing judgment and being critical,
then chalking up my secrecy to 'weirdness.'
Smiling and saying "It's fine", then finally
erupting into rage over nothingness.
Pledging reliability and trustworthiness,
then disappearing for weeks at a time.
Compassion and calm assurances up front,
then blistering contempt and impatience in truth.
Tell me you want to know what's going on,
then dismiss or ignore what is shared with you.
But all of this is merely 'in my head,' right?
This is not a game; the stakes are high.
People are not projects for you to pick-up and set-down
at your whim. Nor objects of scorn for your
demanding expectations.
Where I assumed acceptance was duplicity,
understanding was what I interpreted from silences.
That all your confidantes are smug jerks
should have been a warning sign for me.
So much brightness and intellect within you,
it never occurred to me your obliviousness to other matters.
Where there are such dualities, trust cannot take hold.
I see now the real story; a series of misunderstandings and
missed connections; assumptions and confusions and projections
building a house of cards on a foundation of sand.
Somehow, I missed that.
Trick Answers
At wit's and rope's end,
I cried out for care,
since despite my searching
no one was there.
I wanted connection
just one last time
a stranger preferred
no reason or rhyme.
I'd reached the end
of my despair,
and there was one face
I wished would show care.
But I would not break down
and make that call,
for fear they would feel
they'd already given their all.
So I went to the store
to drown all my pain,
and forget about living
while I circled the drain.
And right there in front of me
a vision so great;
my favorite person
served up on a plate.
My heart stopped, stomach clenched,
my eyes didn't believe,
I turned and ran
lest he see my heart on my sleeve.
Vulnerable, transparent,
a total mess,
I knew he'd see truth;
I'd have to confess.
And the dilemma it seems
is quite bittersweet;
the one who brings calm
also ushers defeat.
If the problem pervading--
even though in my head--
is brought on by another,
how can I seek him, instead?
To see that which you desire
and also fear most,
is a bit like witnessing
a departed friend's ghost.
Will I despair or relax,
will I find stress or serenity,
will I hold strong or collapse,
decisions feel like an eternity.
Panicked, uncertain,
the moment surreal,
I ran for my death
since I could not feel.
At the bottom, engaging in
acts of despair, I wanted not
to see concern or a
sliver of care.
I didn't want disdain,
or disgust or remorse,
no faked smiles feigned
as a matter of course.
Don't see me at my worst,
I can't lie to you,
I don't want pity,
I just want to be through.
Conflicted
spaces within our union.
There is a tacit promise, but
boundaries remain undefined
and mercurial.
Love manifests despite walls...
or does it.
My doubting heart
takes no lunch breaks.
Healing the Past, part Three
I have a theory about abuse that explains a lot
in very simple means. I have not seen it covered in
books, so I'm unsure if this is something which has
been studied or not.
There is of course a phenomenon of people who suffer
abuse ending up suffering from attacks, traumas, and
more abuse systematically throughout their lives. The
tendency is for abuse survivors to implicate themselves
and believe that they had some sort of hand in the
abuse happening.
(This is a very common theme, causing
guilt and shame not just that this happened to us, but
taking on part or all of the responsibility. Further guilt
and shame are suffered if there was any portion of the
sexual abuse that caused arousal; surely our own minds
and bodies had betrayed us.
Many things account for these feelings of self-flagellation.
*Absorbing blame so that a 'loved one' could be "freed"
of being a bad person in the scenario.
*Refusal of our society to address the issue of children
having sexual capacities from early on (NOT that they are
intended to be used by adults!!!! Don't misunderstand that!)
*Total incomprehensibility of the insanity that has occurred
and a child (or young adult) being limited in intellect or
experience has to make 'sense' of it somehow.
*Whether implied or explicit, the abuser often displaces
responsibility for their own actions either before, during, or
after, and that energy has to go somewhere.
*Having a need to reconcile our lack of ability to even
conceive of fighting back.
...and so on.....
I think that the repetition factor in systematic abuse can be
explained by two rationales, however.
First, just as people who have survived can find one another
in a crowded room, so, too, can abusers find someone who
has already been wounded.
Children (or people, really) who have suffered a soul-draining
experience are affected on a molecular level. Whatever angle
you come at this from; social, emotional, psychological, spiritual,
scientific, mental--it's all the same. There has been a fundamental
shift in that person's psyche and soul as a result of the trauma.
People who wish to abuse another see that as both opportunity
and opening.
The lack of light is an advertisement to the darkness that this
is a 'safe' place to do your dirty, despicable deeds.
Perhaps abusers justify this by saying "I see something
in his/her eyes that seemed to be open to what I was
wanting." Justification and sick misinterpreting of reality.
Society on whole has a sickness when it comes to abusive
behavior; Blame the victim. It is far easier to heap
misfortune and blame on someone we know is 'accustomed'
to taking it (i.e., perhaps not likely to fight back?) and thus
a pattern is born.
Second, with each infraction, the soul is further diminished
until such a point that a survivor may:
- Stops caring about their own well-being,
- Become apathetic to the abuse, becomes desensitized to it,
- Begins to embrace warped thinking as normal; certainly
they don't expect or understand anything else, nothing else is
possible
- Seeks it out as punishment, having falsely believed themselves
to be bad, or damaged, or to blame
- Self-fulfilling prophecy kicks in, and the prior abuse affects
thinking and esteem and attitudes which then draw the type
of people who will take advantage of it, and the cycle continues.
(and many more possibilities.)
But there is a widespread pattern of recurring abuse,
repetitious patterns, systematic abuse..whatever you wish to call it.
Energy pushes in the same direction until we intercede. Like
attracts like. So, until we restructure our feelings and thoughts and
ideas about what kind of person we are and what we deserve,
it is highly likely that we will continue to attract unsavory people
throughout our lifetimes.
Even when we stop the abusive relationships, we continue with
self-abuse, however.
Damned Addicts...by THROB
Damned addicts.
Why can't they just follow instructions?
Honor the word they give you?
Keep from reading too much into things?
What role did I play in deceiving you?
In truth, none.
I gave who I am
I trusted and shared as much as possible.
I was as good a friend as I know how to be.
I rode with and visited with and wrote to you
as I would anyone else.
I cared for your well being.
I respected you as you are; no confusions.
I spoke truth about the things I saw in you.
I supported your commitment to children and wife and home.
I never attempted dissent or subterfuge.
No part of me expected, desired, or attempted to make you
anything besides what and who you are.
My feelings reside in me; they are my right,
my responsibility, my business, my problem.
No one asked you to chime in with defensive
He-Man , chest-pounding bullshit and posturing;
I didn't solicit anything from you.
I didn't make a move on you.
I had no designs on anything 'happening.'
Unclench, Wilma!
I was your friend because that is who and what you were to me.
The other was kept where it belonged; in my imagination.
(I have the departmentalization thing down pat now!)
Don't take it the wrong way, but you may be the only human being
on the planet who didn't know what I was feeling.
But I would have given an honest answer had you ever asked me;
that was a determination made long ago.
What role did you play?
Never asking what surely must have crossed your mind.
Not sharing concerns.
Didn't you desire a lost soul so that you could play caretaker?
Someone with whom to maintain those feelings of superiority?
Someone to have around, to look to and say (on some level)
"At least I'm not as bad off as this crazy bastard."?
If anything, my affections for you are Testimony to your
heterosexuality and unavailability and disinterest.
Yes, I am so screwed up and hurt that I can only be drawn to people
that pose no threat of reciprocating. Where there is no possibility.
That's not for you to pass judgment on, however.
Yes, I fell for you. Not because you're a remote, disinterested, unavailable
man fitting a profile; but because you are good, loving, generous, intelligent,
beautiful man. I long for the days when someone took a fucking compliment
instead of becoming defensive or insulted.
Is it so hard to understand that feelings and actions are intrinsically separate?
That even someone as insane as I could manage to devote myself to a friend
without ulterior motives?
I am not a summary of other people's ill-conceived assumptions of me.
I own my character defects; nothing in my friendship to you was corrupted.
Damned addicts.
Why can't they just follow instructions?
Honor the word they give you?
Keep from reading too much into things?
What role did I play in deceiving you?
In truth, none.
I gave who I am
I trusted and shared as much as possible.
I was as good a friend as I know how to be.
I rode with and visited with and wrote to you
as I would anyone else.
I cared for your well being.
I respected you as you are; no confusions.
I spoke truth about the things I saw in you.
I supported your commitment to children and wife and home.
I never attempted dissent or subterfuge.
No part of me expected, desired, or attempted to make you
anything besides what and who you are.
My feelings reside in me; they are my right,
my responsibility, my business, my problem.
No one asked you to chime in with defensive
He-Man , chest-pounding bullshit and posturing;
I didn't solicit anything from you.
I didn't make a move on you.
I had no designs on anything 'happening.'
Unclench, Wilma!
I was your friend because that is who and what you were to me.
The other was kept where it belonged; in my imagination.
(I have the departmentalization thing down pat now!)
Don't take it the wrong way, but you may be the only human being
on the planet who didn't know what I was feeling.
But I would have given an honest answer had you ever asked me;
that was a determination made long ago.
What role did you play?
Never asking what surely must have crossed your mind.
Not sharing concerns.
Didn't you desire a lost soul so that you could play caretaker?
Someone with whom to maintain those feelings of superiority?
Someone to have around, to look to and say (on some level)
"At least I'm not as bad off as this crazy bastard."?
If anything, my affections for you are Testimony to your
heterosexuality and unavailability and disinterest.
Yes, I am so screwed up and hurt that I can only be drawn to people
that pose no threat of reciprocating. Where there is no possibility.
That's not for you to pass judgment on, however.
Yes, I fell for you. Not because you're a remote, disinterested, unavailable
man fitting a profile; but because you are good, loving, generous, intelligent,
beautiful man. I long for the days when someone took a fucking compliment
instead of becoming defensive or insulted.
Is it so hard to understand that feelings and actions are intrinsically separate?
That even someone as insane as I could manage to devote myself to a friend
without ulterior motives?
I am not a summary of other people's ill-conceived assumptions of me.
I own my character defects; nothing in my friendship to you was corrupted.
Damned addicts.
Another Party Heard From
Perhaps.....
the 'issue'
isn't my revelation,
but rather Your
response to it?
the 'issue'
isn't my revelation,
but rather Your
response to it?
EVERYbody
Everybody is racist, homophobic, sexist, and more,
and if they claim otherwise then they're oblivious to boot.
Everybody pretends to hate schmaltzy music but secretly
listens to it when no one can discover them angsting
Everybody has sex thoughts that cause them panic
and worry and embarrassment...and feels alone over it.
Everybody would steal if they could get away with it,
but pretends to be moral and community-minded.
Everybody has a standard of behavior they rigorously apply
to the entire world...excepting themselves, or their kids.
Everybody talks shit and boasts over things mostly untrue,
yet can't allow anyone else their moment in the sun.
Everybody wants to get something for nothing, take advantage
of every inroads, but bitch when someone else does the same.
Everybody thinks the rest of the world's hobbies are ridiculous,
time-wasting, and foolish while their pass-times are brilliant.
Everybody likes to kick the dog, bully the kid, scapegoat the
cashier...but nobody likes being the butt of others' abusiveness.
Everybody can kiss my ass.
Evening things out
There is nothing worth getting upset about.
There is nothing I can control.
There is nothing at the end and center of
all things.
I must seek apathy to deter emotional sensitivity.
I must expect nothing to avoid disappointment.
I must seek no human for solace or support,
for I know in advance they will fail me.
No amount of knowledge can educate me to the
ways of the world. No passion can undo real
obstacles.
Talking and explaining and studying and understanding
and exploring and loving and laughing are all
nothing. Time fillers, waste of space, distractions.
Nothing is the only constant we have.
There is nothing I can control.
There is nothing at the end and center of
all things.
I must seek apathy to deter emotional sensitivity.
I must expect nothing to avoid disappointment.
I must seek no human for solace or support,
for I know in advance they will fail me.
No amount of knowledge can educate me to the
ways of the world. No passion can undo real
obstacles.
Talking and explaining and studying and understanding
and exploring and loving and laughing are all
nothing. Time fillers, waste of space, distractions.
Nothing is the only constant we have.
PUSH...by THROB
i push
to test your resolve
i push
to keep from being whelmed
i push
to verify strength
i push
to insure a safety zone
i push
because it is familiar
i push
because i am terrified
i push
because trust is overrated
you push
and i disintegrate
reminded i was correct to be wary
to test your resolve
i push
to keep from being whelmed
i push
to verify strength
i push
to insure a safety zone
i push
because it is familiar
i push
because i am terrified
i push
because trust is overrated
you push
and i disintegrate
reminded i was correct to be wary
Labels:
defensiveness,
depression,
fear,
isolation,
poetry,
purge,
relationships,
Robert Sayre,
Taming The Beast,
THROB,
trust
Stand Still...by THROB
I ask: "Did you know?"
You reply: "Should I care?"
The standstill gains more ground.
You reply: "Should I care?"
The standstill gains more ground.
Lies I Have Believed
I had an exercise once outlined for doing
work on increasing confidence and ridding
yourself of old 'tapes' and ideas.
It said to make a list of all the outmoded,
incorrect messages you had running around
in your brain.
Obviously, this would mean doing soul-
searching in order to be in touch with your
feelings, patterns, etc and be able to articulate
what was behind the self-destructive
tendencies.
Identifying at least some of these was not
the problem.
The problem is that all the tapes playing
appear to be bad, and that after identifying
them I have had little or no success with
eliminating them.
These are pretty pervasive. Pretty all-
encompassing. Having worked on
changing them for 20 years, I still don't
know that I believe them to be 'lies,' to be
quite honest.
"LIES I HAVE BELIEVED"
(aka "Wrong Ideas to Purge")
I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH
I AM NOT SMART ENOUGH
I AM NOT ATTRACTIVE ENOUGH
MY IDEAS ARE STUPID
I DON'T MEASURE UP
I DON'T DESERVE NICE THINGS
I CAN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT
I CAN'T ACCOMPLISH THINGS BY MYSELF
I "CAN'T"....(fill in the blank)
I DON"T UNDERSTAND THINGS
I HAVE NO TALENT OR ABILITY
RUNNING AWAY ELIMINATES PROBLEMS
I NEED SOMEONE ELSE TO FEEL WHOLE
I HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER
*****************************
Many people probably would read
this and remark "I've thought that
from time to time." It's natural enough
depending on how you were raised.
I just seem to be unable to turn it
off from being a full-time looped tape.
No good thoughts survive in the
quagmire within. It certainly isn't
from lack of effort.
work on increasing confidence and ridding
yourself of old 'tapes' and ideas.
It said to make a list of all the outmoded,
incorrect messages you had running around
in your brain.
Obviously, this would mean doing soul-
searching in order to be in touch with your
feelings, patterns, etc and be able to articulate
what was behind the self-destructive
tendencies.
Identifying at least some of these was not
the problem.
The problem is that all the tapes playing
appear to be bad, and that after identifying
them I have had little or no success with
eliminating them.
These are pretty pervasive. Pretty all-
encompassing. Having worked on
changing them for 20 years, I still don't
know that I believe them to be 'lies,' to be
quite honest.
"LIES I HAVE BELIEVED"
(aka "Wrong Ideas to Purge")
I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH
I AM NOT SMART ENOUGH
I AM NOT ATTRACTIVE ENOUGH
MY IDEAS ARE STUPID
I DON'T MEASURE UP
I DON'T DESERVE NICE THINGS
I CAN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT
I CAN'T ACCOMPLISH THINGS BY MYSELF
I "CAN'T"....(fill in the blank)
I DON"T UNDERSTAND THINGS
I HAVE NO TALENT OR ABILITY
RUNNING AWAY ELIMINATES PROBLEMS
I NEED SOMEONE ELSE TO FEEL WHOLE
I HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER
*****************************
Many people probably would read
this and remark "I've thought that
from time to time." It's natural enough
depending on how you were raised.
I just seem to be unable to turn it
off from being a full-time looped tape.
No good thoughts survive in the
quagmire within. It certainly isn't
from lack of effort.
Healing the Past, part Four
We can become our own worst enemies.
This is not a judgment on us. We become what we live.
We absorb and mimic and intimate what we experience
and learn in our lifetime.
It is incredibly easy to fall into the trap of believing
that a childhood perception is legitimate. We are all of
us living patterns instilled in us long ago, playing tapes
that someone else forced upon us.
The important thing is that there are choices now, no
matter how deep our mislaid feelings of worthlessness and
devastation and despair are, there is the possibility for
change and improvement. I know, because it happened
for me. And you couldn't get more pessimistic and
hopeless than I was!
In time, we learned to do the job of our enemies for us.
-We were taught to sabotage our own lives.
-We were trained to choose misery over hope.
-We learned that if we looked for the worst in people we
would always find it.
-We discovered that responding to the external world with
contempt and criticism and callousness was a means of
keeping people at arm's length (our only version of safe.)
-We doubted those that did get close.
-We spurned the affections of good people, assuming the worst.
-We ceased developing our dreams and personalities and lives
because, really; Why bother?
-We accepted as fact the lie that was told to us in deed and
thought.
-We shrank from the world, and cursed it for not providing for us.
-We gave up.
(We survived the only way we knew how.)
I cannot differentiate between the different 'kinds' of abuse.
One is just as deadly to me as another. Certainly, something
like sexual abuse carries not just more stigma and social
shame, but possibly the deepest-reaching negativity, potentially
destroying one of the most blessed aspects of this world.
But I have met people who are hollow shells late into their
50's and 60's as a result of severe verbal abuse and being
derided and criticized repeatedly as a young child.
Again, it is not for me to say.
As for me, I was blessed to be the recipient of a wide-array
of abuse throughout my childhood.
There was abuse in outside the home. By members of
family, neighbors, strangers, day care workers, and baby-sitters.
I suffered from sexual abuse in forms subtle and extreme.
There was severe emotional and psychological abuse on a daily
basis. Verbal and physical abuse and intimidation and forced
feeding and shaming and threats and insanity were just a regular
occurrence at my household.
There was a shut-down or the outer responses early on as
I learned to retreat inside my head, the only safe place I knew.
There was much effort given to maintaining the illusion of
being a 'happy home,' and that schizoid upkeep came at an even
deeper price (I feel) than the abuse itself. It left me with no allies.
When I tried to talk to other people about what was going on in
my household (after I finally realized it was not 'normal') I was
met with universal dismissal.
"You're just being sensitive. It didn't really happen that way."
"It's not as bad as you make it seem."
"I know your parents. That can't be true."
"Why are you being such a spoiled brat?"
"You need to stop telling your parents business in the streets."
I tried talking to my pediatrician. The police. A neighbor.
An uncle. A teacher. A cousin. The result was always the same.
I should point out that I was a miserably depressed young
person whom people were always encouraging to 'Cheer up"
or "Tell me what's wrong." After tremendous effort to overcome
my fears, I finally tried desperately at one point to get help, with
the resultant responses listed above. I didn't tell everything; just
some of the surface level stuff (which was bad enough) and I
was amazed at people's responses.
Finally I just stopped talking.
I hated people for not stepping in and stopping what was going
on. I hated my birth parents for giving me away. I hated my
adoptive parents for being who they were. I hated family for
not coming around. I hated institutions for turning a blind eye
and not fulfilling their supposed duties (Was there something
about me that didn't warrant being saved? I assumed so, one
one level, and despised them for the implication on another.)
My anger ate me up inside.
I started acting out. In school I was boisterous and confrontational
and aggressive and violent. I forged signatures on all the notes home.
I mouthed off to the nuns (and later the priests.) I cussed like
a sailor and vandalized and did everything I could to express how
pissed off and contemptuous I was.
At home, I started fighting back. If he could smash and destroy
and intimidate and act like a crazy person, so could I. And it was
intoxicating. I began sneaking liquor. I became as two-faced as
they were. Whatever it took to accomplish what I wanted when
I wanted it, I did it. I lived what I learned.
I lied, cheated, stole, assaulted, and more. It was freedom,
finally. I said whatever came to my mind, cared nothing about
consequences. What could be worse than what I had been through?
If they were going to treat me as a criminal, why not have the
benefits of actually being one?
There was self abuse and attempted suicides. I was taken to doctors
and psychologists and psychiatrists and specialists and more.
Nothing worked; I knew better than to trust another human being
with the truth at this point. My defiant swagger was a giant begging for
assistance I knew was not to come. I would not have my vengeance
forsaken.
now!
But I continued to rage and seethe and avoid my pain.
I ceased developing as a person.
I gave in to darkness because it was all I knew and it felt
powerful. I gave up on the things that meant something to me.
I dwelt on the past and shut down the present.
I stayed quiet about the real issues. I shut down my caring
and compassionate self. The depressive and wild sides took over.
I discovered sex.
Sex...under what seemed to be my own volition...was nuclear.
I had found a medication that satisfied my every need!
Certainly the physical stimulation was great, but to also have
emotional nurturing and a distraction from the real world
and pain...phenomenal. I did anybody who showed an interest;
my need for approval, intimacy (real or imagined,) and connection
was vast.
By switching focus from one partner to another and imagining
that it was the failings of the last person that didn't allow me to
connect, I avoided the real focus; me. I became absorbed in the
lives of the other boys and men I was with; infatuated with love
and the attention and affection and a reclaiming of my physical
needs that had been corrupted long ago. (Everybody is different
in how they externalize the past; mine came off as desperation
and neediness.)
But eventually, it, too, was never enough.
It was always endless searching for something to fill that void
that had been left in me so long before. But there could be no
erasing of the past. That left me with the idea that there was
nothing to be done about it.
Now I know otherwise.
(continued)
This is not a judgment on us. We become what we live.
We absorb and mimic and intimate what we experience
and learn in our lifetime.
It is incredibly easy to fall into the trap of believing
that a childhood perception is legitimate. We are all of
us living patterns instilled in us long ago, playing tapes
that someone else forced upon us.
The important thing is that there are choices now, no
matter how deep our mislaid feelings of worthlessness and
devastation and despair are, there is the possibility for
change and improvement. I know, because it happened
for me. And you couldn't get more pessimistic and
hopeless than I was!
In time, we learned to do the job of our enemies for us.
-We were taught to sabotage our own lives.
-We were trained to choose misery over hope.
-We learned that if we looked for the worst in people we
would always find it.
-We discovered that responding to the external world with
contempt and criticism and callousness was a means of
keeping people at arm's length (our only version of safe.)
-We doubted those that did get close.
-We spurned the affections of good people, assuming the worst.
-We ceased developing our dreams and personalities and lives
because, really; Why bother?
-We accepted as fact the lie that was told to us in deed and
thought.
-We shrank from the world, and cursed it for not providing for us.
-We gave up.
(We survived the only way we knew how.)
I cannot differentiate between the different 'kinds' of abuse.
One is just as deadly to me as another. Certainly, something
like sexual abuse carries not just more stigma and social
shame, but possibly the deepest-reaching negativity, potentially
destroying one of the most blessed aspects of this world.
But I have met people who are hollow shells late into their
50's and 60's as a result of severe verbal abuse and being
derided and criticized repeatedly as a young child.
Again, it is not for me to say.
As for me, I was blessed to be the recipient of a wide-array
of abuse throughout my childhood.
There was abuse in outside the home. By members of
family, neighbors, strangers, day care workers, and baby-sitters.
I suffered from sexual abuse in forms subtle and extreme.
There was severe emotional and psychological abuse on a daily
basis. Verbal and physical abuse and intimidation and forced
feeding and shaming and threats and insanity were just a regular
occurrence at my household.
There was a shut-down or the outer responses early on as
I learned to retreat inside my head, the only safe place I knew.
There was much effort given to maintaining the illusion of
being a 'happy home,' and that schizoid upkeep came at an even
deeper price (I feel) than the abuse itself. It left me with no allies.
When I tried to talk to other people about what was going on in
my household (after I finally realized it was not 'normal') I was
met with universal dismissal.
"You're just being sensitive. It didn't really happen that way."
"It's not as bad as you make it seem."
"I know your parents. That can't be true."
"Why are you being such a spoiled brat?"
"You need to stop telling your parents business in the streets."
I tried talking to my pediatrician. The police. A neighbor.
An uncle. A teacher. A cousin. The result was always the same.
I should point out that I was a miserably depressed young
person whom people were always encouraging to 'Cheer up"
or "Tell me what's wrong." After tremendous effort to overcome
my fears, I finally tried desperately at one point to get help, with
the resultant responses listed above. I didn't tell everything; just
some of the surface level stuff (which was bad enough) and I
was amazed at people's responses.
Finally I just stopped talking.
I hated people for not stepping in and stopping what was going
on. I hated my birth parents for giving me away. I hated my
adoptive parents for being who they were. I hated family for
not coming around. I hated institutions for turning a blind eye
and not fulfilling their supposed duties (Was there something
about me that didn't warrant being saved? I assumed so, one
one level, and despised them for the implication on another.)
My anger ate me up inside.
I started acting out. In school I was boisterous and confrontational
and aggressive and violent. I forged signatures on all the notes home.
I mouthed off to the nuns (and later the priests.) I cussed like
a sailor and vandalized and did everything I could to express how
pissed off and contemptuous I was.
At home, I started fighting back. If he could smash and destroy
and intimidate and act like a crazy person, so could I. And it was
intoxicating. I began sneaking liquor. I became as two-faced as
they were. Whatever it took to accomplish what I wanted when
I wanted it, I did it. I lived what I learned.
I lied, cheated, stole, assaulted, and more. It was freedom,
finally. I said whatever came to my mind, cared nothing about
consequences. What could be worse than what I had been through?
If they were going to treat me as a criminal, why not have the
benefits of actually being one?
There was self abuse and attempted suicides. I was taken to doctors
and psychologists and psychiatrists and specialists and more.
Nothing worked; I knew better than to trust another human being
with the truth at this point. My defiant swagger was a giant begging for
assistance I knew was not to come. I would not have my vengeance
forsaken.
now!
But I continued to rage and seethe and avoid my pain.
I ceased developing as a person.
I gave in to darkness because it was all I knew and it felt
powerful. I gave up on the things that meant something to me.
I dwelt on the past and shut down the present.
I stayed quiet about the real issues. I shut down my caring
and compassionate self. The depressive and wild sides took over.
I discovered sex.
Sex...under what seemed to be my own volition...was nuclear.
I had found a medication that satisfied my every need!
Certainly the physical stimulation was great, but to also have
emotional nurturing and a distraction from the real world
and pain...phenomenal. I did anybody who showed an interest;
my need for approval, intimacy (real or imagined,) and connection
was vast.
By switching focus from one partner to another and imagining
that it was the failings of the last person that didn't allow me to
connect, I avoided the real focus; me. I became absorbed in the
lives of the other boys and men I was with; infatuated with love
and the attention and affection and a reclaiming of my physical
needs that had been corrupted long ago. (Everybody is different
in how they externalize the past; mine came off as desperation
and neediness.)
But eventually, it, too, was never enough.
It was always endless searching for something to fill that void
that had been left in me so long before. But there could be no
erasing of the past. That left me with the idea that there was
nothing to be done about it.
Now I know otherwise.
(continued)
Healing the Past, part Five
Healing the Past, part Five
When we become fixated on a pain, a problem,it can become larger and more prominent by
virtue of its constancy in our mind and heart.
Reliving such hurts also embeds them deeper
and deeper into our consciousness, like a
groove being worn into a surface from constant
use.
By dwelling on such horrors, we actually cause
them to drown out all other voices, all possible
light. The disappointment becomes an accepted
reality, and the obstacles seeming insurmountability
become our fate rather than our assumption.
Pain relived is intensified and strengthened with
each re-sensing. It becomes an entity unto
itself.
We are no longer open to new things, or people, or
possibilities. Or friends, family, or love. We guard
against anything hopeful because we have learned to
stifle vulnerability and hope and happiness. We don't
trust that opening ourselves up to such things can bring
anything but disaster.
Is there anything more dreadful than a life without trust?
Overcoming these depressive, anti-social, defensive
tendencies takes time and effort. Study. Retraining.
Risk. Focus. Getting back up when we fall down, no
matter how many times that is. We have to first decide
that we are at least willing to be open to life. That maybe
we overlooked some goodness and light in the world.
That we are deserving of the chance to find out.
We have to be okay with letting go of the baggage of the
past, unsure where the future is taking us. This is major.
We must stop being silent. It is insanity to continue living
our lives based on the best efforts of a wounded younger
person. No matter how well those reactions served us in
making it through, now comes the time for taking the
reigns of our own wellness. Allowing others in, recognizing
that we are not the sum of our fears and mistakes and
history.
There can be no shame without our approval. We must speak
out against our bondage, and say aloud what has torn away
at us. When we share our pain, it is shown the light of day,
and loses portions of its mystical hold over us. The darkness
burns away as we realize that others have known our pain,
but were also afraid to speak truth and be fully seen.
We are not identified by what has happened to us, nor are we
identified exclusively by what we have done in our acting out.
These are lies that were told by ourselves and others to
prevent transformation from taking place. There is an entire
world of possibility outside the dark and secretive corners of
our minds. We cannot afford the silence anymore.
The stoic husband, the doting daughter, the icy controller; these
are not roles that fulfill our purpose in the world. They were
temporary containers to help transport us from the pain of the
past to a safe place where healing can begin.
As they say, we are only as sick as our secrets. By releasing the
hold on secrets, we release their hold on us. We find out that
the power they maintained in our hypothetical worst case
scenarios was nothing remotely related to reality. We dwelt on
the dark past until it tainted our present and even the future, but
that was imaginings.
When we allow others access to our world, and we allow ourselves
access to the outside world, we discover that there is more to the
universe than our limited perspective. Hearing what others think,
even when critical and disagreeable, can be the catharsis for
a new understanding as to what is real and what was leftover insane
thinking.
Without light, there can be no growth. And many of us locked
ourselves into deep, dark, isolated places to avoid everything...
including the light.
I bring up sex in the context of recovery because sex is integral.
Sex is part of identity, whether we have good notions or bad in
its expression. I daresay most every addict either had their sex
lives affected adversely by their addiction, or came to addiction
because their sex lives (by choice or lack of voice) had adversely
affected their lives. It is not an outside issue.
Not addressing sex and its impact on our lives is part of the
warped, schizoid, puritanical, oppressive thinking that led most
of us into a program of recovery in the first place. Not allowing
people in the rooms to discuss what their needs and history are
without fear of further judgment or shame is a crime. It allows
those of us most in need of help to be victimized all over again.
Suppressing truth is part of the sickness. Lies kill.
Today, I will be a part of the solution.
I will speak my truth.
I will not be defined by others' limitations.
There are others who have these histories, these feelings, these
pains. They live silently fearing that anyone might ever find out.
They live a double life, even in recovery. No one should ever
have to apologize for who they are or where they come from.
Speaking up is the first step to insure that doesn't happen again.
More Lies I have Believed
Aahhhh,,,,..the body!
How we love and respect our bodies and their
differences in this country. Oh, wait....
More of the same....
LIES I BELIEVED/TOLD MYSELF/BOUGHT
- I am not strong enough
- I am not coordinated enough
- I am not fast enough
- Other people have natural talents
- I'm not a real man
- I'm disgusting
- I'll never be anything but fat
- I am to be neither seen NOR heard
- I am on the outside looking in
- No matter how hard I try, I'll fail
- Other people's equipment is better
- People just naturally don't like me
- There's something wrong with me
************************************
For those who suffer from these issues,
you know full well that even when we can
identify the problem, these lies don't stop
seeming true. It takes a lot of continuing
effort to counter all this shit.
We also have a tendency to believe our
own memories and interpretations of events
as supporting our theories, when in fact
we see what we want to see most of the time.
If you feel unloved, you appear hesitant and
unapproachable, people tend to avoid you,
and thus you continue to look at not being loved
as an unavoidable state as evidenced by your
current state.
We do play a role in keeping these beasts alive,
long after the damage has been done to us.
We perpetuate our own abuse at some point,
but we can also learn to halt it.
First, we must accept as possible that what we
'know' could be entirely otherwise.
Start today.
How we love and respect our bodies and their
differences in this country. Oh, wait....
More of the same....
LIES I BELIEVED/TOLD MYSELF/BOUGHT
- I am not strong enough
- I am not coordinated enough
- I am not fast enough
- Other people have natural talents
- I'm not a real man
- I'm disgusting
- I'll never be anything but fat
- I am to be neither seen NOR heard
- I am on the outside looking in
- No matter how hard I try, I'll fail
- Other people's equipment is better
- People just naturally don't like me
- There's something wrong with me
************************************
For those who suffer from these issues,
you know full well that even when we can
identify the problem, these lies don't stop
seeming true. It takes a lot of continuing
effort to counter all this shit.
We also have a tendency to believe our
own memories and interpretations of events
as supporting our theories, when in fact
we see what we want to see most of the time.
If you feel unloved, you appear hesitant and
unapproachable, people tend to avoid you,
and thus you continue to look at not being loved
as an unavoidable state as evidenced by your
current state.
We do play a role in keeping these beasts alive,
long after the damage has been done to us.
We perpetuate our own abuse at some point,
but we can also learn to halt it.
First, we must accept as possible that what we
'know' could be entirely otherwise.
Start today.
Snooze button
I'm a week from being 41
and my Mother showed me today
that other people
will ALWAYS rank higher
with her
than me.
Someone else
is always more important.
I found myself
dissembled
and alone in that reveal
as it finally sunk in.
We are all of us
truly, totally, terribly
alone....
except for ourselves.
I wish I were better company.
Where the fault lies
I believe in Nothing
not because
I think my mind
superior.
Quite the opposite.
I believe in Nothing
because
I can't trust
my mind
to believe anything
it perceives or
conceives.
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