Wednesday, February 15, 2012

You can't enjoy an egg without cracking it!

A friend sent me the following quote:  "Ring the Bells that still can ring, forget your perfect offering, there is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." by Leonard Cohen

It conjured up so many thought-provoking images, I thought I would share some.   

As a survivor of child sexual abuse, I have always viewed myself as damaged.  Not scratched, but seriously, and at times life-threateningly damaged.  Most of my energy was spent covering over the cracks, which symbolized this damage.  I labored endlessly to hide the cracks and hopefully make them disappear.  Most times, I was much more willing to allow the internal pain, suffering and anxiety to build to a bursting point, rather than allow others to see the real, and the real size, of the cracks in my facade.


The quote above gave me a whole new perspective.  While I was hiding, I didn't realize I was blocking out all the sunlight that brings joy into a life and makes one a person others desire to be around.  By patching over the crack in the bell, me, I muffled the beauty of its ring and the opportunity for the real me to shine and spread light.


Today, I accept the cracks, large and small, and I feel joy in the resonance my life has and how that echo encourages and supports others.  I accept that sometime there will be a harsh tone that represents the mistakes of life.  I pray to learn from those, but not allow them to silence my ring.  My ring is distinctive, because I embrace the uniqueness of my "bell".  It is important to the symphony of life.  Maybe there is a lesson in this for all of us.

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