a letter to those suffering with ptsd

to whomever it may concern,

you have lived through hell, and you barely escaped with your life and with your sanity. you feel that you have lost all sense of safety, security, and that you have been stripped to the core of what is left of your humanity. you are at you lowest level of existence. you feel as though you have nothing to live for, because they took all that you had. and now you feel as if your body is empty, that your mind is gone. you feel as though you had been cheated the luxury of death, because now you have to live with the aftermath of it all. you have to pick up all the shattered pieces of yourself and try to put them back together, but the shards are so small and there are so many of them that you inevitably lose a few, and you realize that you will never be whole the same way you were before. you are beaten and bruised, you're covered in fresh wounds. the wounds weep blood and pus and no matter how much disinfectant you use, they never get clean, they never heal. i wish i could tell you that with time they will scab over and disappear. i wish i could tell you that with time you will forget the pain, that you will sleep comfortably every night. but that is not the case, your wounds will only scab over, and if you’re lucky they will leave behind scars. hideous, mangled scars. and the scars will never fade, the scars will become tattoos upon the skin of your soul, never to be removed. 

your wounds won’t heal quickly, it will take years, maybe lifetimes before they start to seal. and sometimes when you think the pain is gone, a trigger will rip open the wound, making it feel fresh again. the triggers will catch you when you least expect it, and they will send you into a tailspin and all you can do it try to breathe deeply, and wait for it to be over. you will always have nightmares. you will never get a full night's sleep again, but the moon will be there to comfort you when the terrors keep you up. she will become your best friend. and your friends and family will never understand what you are going through. they will try to comfort you and express their sympathy, but they will never know how you feel, they will never know how to make you feel safe and secure because you never will again no matter how hard they try. and over time they will forget what happened to you, they will assume that you have healed and moved on, but you never will.  for a long time the you won’t feel a thing. you will cry all the time, usually in private so know one knows your suffering. you will want people to see you as strong, even though you could fall apart at the slightest touch. you will numb yourself in anyway you can just to dull the pain. you won’t exist for pleasure and experience, you will only exist for survival. 

this existence will feel as though it will last for an eternity, but over time your other needs will be met, you will find a way to live. and the pain and suffering will always be there, but they will dull over time. the wounds will still be there, but they won’t weep like they used to. the triggers will torment you, but you will learn how to breathe. the terrors will haunt you, but you will have the moon at your side. you will always cry, but the tears will always run dry. i wish i could tell you that this will all go away, but it never will. all that will change is you. so just be patient with yourself, let time take it’s toll. with time you will learn how to live through the pain. with time you will learn how to sleep at night again. with time you will learn how to love again. i promise.

-sarah

a list of feelings i've had as a woman

when lightning strikes in the afternoon and doesn't make sound, and you're sitting by the window in nothing but an old, oversized sweater and panties and everything is calm
everything is calm inside of you even when your surroundings are in utter chaos
and you didn't brush your hair that morning and you feel more beautiful now than you ever did before

when you're sitting on the floor in front of your mirror and you're slowly applying your makeup and it's never looked more perfect
and all you're wearing is a stained t shirt and your chill playlist is humming softly in the background and you sing along to every word
you have no agenda, no where to go, but you get ready anyway because the brushes feel so good on your skin

when you've had a long hard cry and your eyes are red and swollen and you can feel the dried tears that have stained your face and neck
and your heart beat slows down enough for you to make sense of all the emotions
and after a few minutes you start to laugh as the endorphins kick in after all the turmoil, reminding you that your body will always love and care for the soul it protects

when you see yourself after a shower, hair stringy and long, water dotted across your skin making your look like a galaxy
when your cheeks are flushed with roses and your body curves like botticelli's venus
and you can't help but take in your own imperfect beauty and for once you feel whole

when you see another woman across the street, walking with purpose and with a spark in her eye
you look at her and you already know that she is living her dream
and you feel a strong sense of kinship, that one of your own has made it, that you are proud to call yourself a woman too

when you see your mother after a long hard day, and she can see the burdens weighing down your eyes and she takes you into her arms
she has carried the same burdens you have, but she doesn't have to tell you because you already know
and she lets you put down you bags, hang up your coat, and lay in her arms till you're strong enough to get up and face the world again

when you're bleeding with the moon for what feels like the thousandth time and you wish it never happened to you in the first place
but then it hits you, the realization that you can create life within you, that you are the keystone to all life on earth
and when you see the red you smile, for it helps you remember what you are capable of

when you stand at the shore and you can feel the ocean kiss the sand beneath your feet
and the breeze dances through your hair and the clouds enfold you like a soft, cool blanket
you are all alone, yet at the same time you are with the universe in all it's complexity and all it's simplicity
and the universe reminds you who you are, that you are it's daughter, that you are everything and nothing all at once
that you are everything she is

rain drops

you are so beautiful

i'm just sitting here looking at you watch the rain drops drip from the rooftop and your eyes seem to catch every droplet that falls
your eyes are clear shimmering puddles that i find myself splashing in every once in awhile as if i were a child
you make me feel like a child again

you are so beautiful