Dealing with past emotional trauma
This blog post today is about hate. Is it OK to hate? As Joni Mitchell sang in “Clouds”:
“I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all” Joni Mitchell 1969
Thanks Joni!
Well I have looked at Hate from both sides now. Being a sensitive person, with Dyslexia and a touch of ADHD, growing up in the 1950’s and 1960’s. I suffered emotional trauma from many people due to being different. In school, some of the teachers were a nightmare. Other students liked to put me down or make fun of me. My social skills were not great back then.
Where does emotional trauma come from
In school, I had a teacher and principle I hated. I really did not like school to be blunt. Two of these people made school close to unbearable. I could call them out here. Because of the trauma and pain they caused me. That would be revenge. So would be dumping prime north Georgia cow pasture paddies or fresh chicken house waste on their graves. The idea of that makes me feel good, but that would take time and energy away from me. Also the flip side some worker who cleans the grave yards would have to deal with it. Eventually, the cow and chicken poo would fertilize the ground and make the grass greener long after I am gone. That is the other side of the cloud. Therefore, revenge appears to be an illusion. Thank you Joni for getting me to look at the other side of hate!
Letting go of Negative emotional Trauma – Is it OK to hate still?
As Dr Gregory L. Brack PhD at Georgia State said “the best revenge is living well”. This was in one of the classes he taught. I was a student learning counseling in those classes in my 40’s. At the same time going thru a horrible divorce. So my goal was to get to a place where I was living well. Consequently, each person has their own definition of living well. Despite my past trauma, social class and earnings. I have not explicitly defined for me what “living well” looks like for me. That I feel is an on going process.
Instead of hate – Grow beautiful flowering plants?
Living well, is it growing flower or coming up with skin serum that de-age your skin? indeed, maybe helping others live well is a life theme. In summary, I need to add this to my project plans. What is living well for me? A question we all need to ponder.