Hello fellow co-worker.
Hello fellow churchgoer.
Hello fellow traveler.
Hello potential friend.
If I share my trauma with you,
Will you hear me?
Will you see my humanity?
Will you hear my heart?
Or will you analyze and compare
And further aggravate my trauma?
Will you classify me?
Will you apply a label to me?
Will you try to “fix” me?
Are you qualified to analyze?
Then tell me about your educationAnd degrees and training.
Look at me standing before you.
Do you see a fellow human?
Do you see a shattered heart?
Do you see an object?
Do you think you have me all figured out?
Do you really have all the answers?
Do you even have a clue?
Are you invulnerable?
How do I know if you are trustworthy?
I listen to how you speak about others.
I listen to how you handle other wounds.
Then I choose whether to risk.
If I choose to risk,
I prepare myself for dismissal.
I give provisional trust
And open my heart a little.
Either way it goes,
I learn about you
And know if I will risk
Deeper trust with you.
What do I want?
I want a listening ear.
I want connection with another heart.
I want to share humanity.
I want someone to walk with me
Through the agonizing terrain.
I want to know – somebody cares.
All I want is your ear and your heart.
Do you have an ear?
Do you have a heart?
Will you be my friend?
Or will you be an expert?
– Healing Heart Warrior (Tom M.)