" Glitter and Trauma ... "

Your potential is underused, 

your skin will break into 

jigsaw shaped pieces of meat, 

you'll fall apart.

You can save them all.

I believe that you can.

Even though... you never listen.

You never listen ...

But you are, the human, strobe.

You are the human strobe ...

We are, like lightening, surrounded.

You are the human strobe.

~ Biffy Clyro ~ Glitter and Trauma ~ 

***

Experiencing a traumatic event such as a cancer diagnosis can be emotionally devastating.  Without support, the traumatic event can get struck in the nervous system leading to long-lasting distress.  Yet there can be a benefit to stressful life experiences ... psychological growth and positive changes can result.

Trauma ~ you can either go through it or grow through it

Upon reflection, I am focusing on growth during this leg of my journey ...

Growth ... difficult experiences deepen relationship bonds and give me the opportunity to see how deeply people care for me ... new appreciation for the relationships I have.

Growth ... difficult experiences lead to new activities, lifestyles and/or relationships that make my life more meaningful, rich and satisfying.

Growth ... difficult experiences help me learn how strong I am and what I can bear.

Growth ... difficult experiences give me a spiritual message to change the direction of my life & deepening of my faith.

Growth ... difficult experiences provide a greater appreciation of the life I have and connection with the simple pleasures of life.

Surviving a trauma may represent a second chance to rebuild your life and implement the lessons learned.  Even if you make mistakes or do some things you regret, you did what you had to do to survive and that is something to be proud of.

As well, a traumatic event helps you find everyday happiness in the life you have now.  I think about what I have learned by going through my current challenge and how I can use this to help not only myself but others around me, to create something of personal or societal value.  

Primarily, I have learned that growth and hope can co-exist with grief.  These are my ups and downs.  I learn to anticipate and I learn to manage.  More importantly, I am gentle with myself on  days when it is just too difficult to see the positive in the chaos of the trauma.  I trust that all is as it should be for my highest good ...