"You Are Hurting Me"

"Wake at dawn with a winged heart

and be thankful

for another day of loving."

Kahlil Gibran

From an unnaturally young age, I learned how important it was to hide my feelings.  It was one of many coping skills.  I had great pride in my ability to be one happy person on the outside while on the inside my life was like a dark nightmare.  My intention was to never let anyone know how much they hurt me.

A mentor challenged me to hold people accountable for emotionally destructive actions towards me.  I was horrified to learn my disguises were like sheer veils and I had fooled no one. Others simply never cared.  Being called to confront a person using a loving heart felt like it was  beyond my reach.

I gathered confidence stating, "You are hurting me."  These words did not change the outcome of any chaos in my midst, but it did empower me.  It felt good to defend my self and to speak my truth which honored who I was.  As a result, I wake each morning feeling prepared for the day ... not by hiding but by loving all who come my way.   

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