The Other Side of Broken

I must show you the other side of broken,

as I watch you dream, the wisps of your breath an innocence encircling my chest;

can I share with you now, as you sleep?

Your soul can keep the secret, until you need to know.

But, not now, not tonight.

For this moment alone, I will share with you what I have seen,

so please do not open your eyes.

But, you must understand that there may come a day for you too,

and I promise –

there is a place that exists on the other side of broken.

You will sense it coming, but you cannot foresee the exact moment.

I hope it will be as it was for me – a silent failing of senses:

all that is physical, all that is conscious; it is stripped away in pieces.

You will feel them float away, no longer tethered by gravity,

into space.

Breaking entails a myth that all is lost into an endless void;

that you are no more,

that all you know has been dispersed.

The myth comes from the solitary moment

of shattering.

But, you must fight through the moment to find the other side:

when your spirit reaches that most physical of end points,

where conscious thought is overcome,

and your mind can no longer comprehend.

just Breathe, and

Let

Go.

It is on the other side of broken that you will find your core.

Relax your body, in the silence of the dark; you can feel it now,

emanating from your heart.

This is your core, which cannot be destroyed.

The other side of broken is even more magnificent,

for it is there that you can simply Be.

And, in this space, nothing is lost,

you can no longer be hurt;

after the breaking, you will Rise.

You will not be alone,

for no one is unbroken.

As you walk through life, even now, feel it,

you will sense the pieces of others;

hold them, protect them, for all are connected.

Lift each one you find with the strength of your love, 

for there may be pieces, long lost by others, that fit only 

in the palm of your hand.

Now, wake.

Just go be, you.

The other side of broken exists already within you, it is your spirit;

in its peace, you are protected.

Find its strength.

For Life, when all else falls away, is the blinding sun rising in the East,

your brilliance to explore.

* The Other Side of Broken was written with my two daughters in mind. However, it is meant for anyone who has broken or feels that they are facing the impossible. I found the other side of broken on November 20, 2014. Whether you are experiencing the loss of a loved one, illness, loss of security, homelessness, divorce, loss of a friendship, depression, daily stresses of life, or any of the myriad losses and traumas individuals face each day, I am speaking to you. Please know that you are not alone and that there is space on the other side of broken. Hold on, fight, and find strength in your core. There is a brilliance to Life itself, within you alone, even when all else seems lost. Reach out to others, for we are all broken in ways, and our pieces surround you every moment. We are all connected and can help each other. Reach out in peace, love, and faith. There is always hope. Just go be, you. You are beautiful.