This is a poem I came across many years ago. I feel that many of my clients that have experienced trauma or abuse in childhood may relate to this. It shows the impact such abuse can have not only on themselves but how they may relate to others.
The Lonely Traveller
I wonder why, you choose to travel, solely on your own, ignoring help, that’s yours to have, by picking up the phone.
Depriving you and those you love, of comfort and support, maintaining independence, far more fiercely than you ought.
Whilst those that love you, hearts in pain, just look on in despair, You travel down your lonely path, as if they were not there.Yet who is forcing you to choose, this isolated path, that leaves behind the ones you love, strew in the aftermath.
That builds a wall so thick and cold, around your inner you, that hides your feelings, keeps your soul, so sadly out of view.
What’s driving you, to dis-erect relationships held dear, to push away the ones you love, whenever they get near.What childhood script, or view of life, is guiding you this way, So shackled with a heavy heard, that’s causing you dismay.
And all along the way you speak, your metaphors profound, expose the view you have of you, your self esteem unsound.
It seems you need to hold a view, you’ve lodged inside your soul, of you unworthy, undeserved, unlovable and cold.And yet I know, that deep inside, where no-one else can see, There lives a child, that’s crying out, just begging to be free.
She longs to feel the joys of life, to laugh and sing again, to reach out to the ones she loves, completely free of pain.
She longs for stroking, light and love, for spiritual release, to free her own creative self and live in perfect peace.If you would only smash that wall, you built around yourself, you’d see a crowd of loving folks, just waiting there to help.
You’d find that every one of them, without a “string” in sight, would love to lend a loving hand, to help you with your fight.
You’re blessed with very caring friends, for whom your welfare’s theirs, whose loving hearts would love to help, to supplement their prayers.For goodness sake, just take a look outside your wall and pause, to feel the loving and support that’s yours and yours and yours.
You might then throw away that script, that’s driving you right now, might tear it up and burn it too, it’s useless anyhow.
And when you do, your life will change, your struggling will cease, and you’ll discover lasting love and tranquil inner peace.