WHAT MEANS THE WORLD TO YOU?

There is a powerful saying in the world of writing: "If you  can't feel it you can't write it!"  I agree 100%.  Recently I have had multiple messages from people telling me how my 'words' have changed their lives.  After much consideration, I found that this is a tremendous responsibility ~ and obligation. One that I accept with humility and pride.   

Point one is to realize, understand, and digest the fact that our feelings are so, so much a part of what it is to be human. Some of us tend to disguise our feelings for fear someone might find out who we really are ... deep down inside.  Or we hide our feelings so that we don't appear weak, or mentally unstable, or heaven forbid not accepted by those we choose to impress. But if the truth were know, most everyone is fighting some kind of a battle and hiding behind a veil to appear 'normal.'

Today I am going to pose a question to you that will take either a great deal of thought, or none at all. Here goes!  What means the world to you?

You can keep this to yourself, share it with trusted friends or family, but answer it truthfully.  What means the world to you?  To me the answer comes with the reality that if we know, really know, what means the world to us, we are blessed with a most precious gift.  A gift that shows that we can allow ourselves to be human.  We allow ourselves to be seen.  And it is at this point we allow ourselves to be loved for all the right reasons. 

My life hasn't been a fairy tale.  Most of it being composed of repercussions of horrific things that had happened to me as a little girl...a baby. These repercussions continued throughout my life. Without going into the depths of these most sad experiences, suffice it to say I have begun to grow up, to realize, to accept, and to move forward on wobbly legs to a place where I have finally found what the world means to me.  I have no doubt that this knowledge and journey has brought me to where I am today...helping those returning warriors with Post Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injuries. 

So what means the world to me...it means a path out of the darkness I have been in for decades ~ to come to realize that if I stay in an isolated place, yes no one can hurt me, but realize too that if that is the case, then no one can love me either. For me what the world means is being there for others that are hurt, injured, and are lost.  I feel so enormously blessed that I have endured and overcome what I have so that now I can offer to others all that I can, to include my therapy dogs helping the wounded warriors ease their pain, their fear and the burden of battle they return home with.

Pain will no longer use me.  I have learned how to use pain.  It isn't always easy, and is an uphill battle many times, but I am now in control of my life and life will no longer control me.

This is what the world means to me. I will take the pain and experiences of my life and use them to the best of my ability to love someone else back into existence that is lost in the wilderness of Post Traumatic Stress.  As much as we struggle to do small things, great and grand things by ourselves, we come to that place in the road where we suddenly ... or ...finally realize we can't do it without help. 

Some days I struggle.  Some days I flounder.  Some days I want to relinquish the reigns to someone, anyone else. 

But when all is said and done, something happens that makes me realize the value and importance of my actions in helping other. And this is what the world means to me.