A journey to find the real Me
Today, as I walked out of the cinema, after watching the movie "Wild", I had no sense of time or space. It was as if my mind was in a haze, and I didn't know where I was going. I even crashed into a few traffic cones driving out of the movie hall. People came and helped to untangle my bike, but it still did not drive me out of the fog.
My eyes were drenched and my heart was heavy as if it was made of lead. I sobbed all the way home, unheeded to the traffic around me. I sobbed my guts out and it felt good, it felt cathartic. We all cry, some loudly and some in the corner of their minds.
Grief, I believe, can manifest itself in many different ways. For Cheryl, the actress in the movie, it manifested in taking drugs and sleeping with men, a series of self-destructive behaviour, trying to cope with her mother's death. My tears were so much for Cheryl, as they were for myself. I could identify with her journey of walking a 1000 miles through the harsh wilderness, to find herself, and return to the person she was before.
As I saw Cheryl, take the first steps of her life changing journey, I thought of my own journey, of seeking to find the person I was, before my journey to find the real me, before I got lost in the wilderness called life.
I also remembered something, a friend had shared some days back, about how all of us are trying to seek value and how in that process we sometimes undermine ourselves, just because we seek love, friendship and being liked by people. We want people to like us and so we forget who we are and what we want from our own lives.
In this fast paced world, when all of us are constantly connected, a tiny island called solitude and being alone helps us to face the real us. In solitude, we are metaphorically naked, with our souls layed bare and the harsh light shining on our good, bad and messed up minds. Solitude makes us confront our demons, as there is no place to run and hide. Even if we do run, there comes a point in time when you have to stop and just deal with the situation.
I have been through the phase many times over in the past one year. My grief manifested in different ways, not all of it was good. I battled negative thoughts and emotions and even drowned in self-pity. I questioned the fairness of life and the question all of us have asked at least once in our lives, Why Me?
Though I never got any answers, what I got back from the extended periods of being alone is that loneliness is a state of mind. Even in a crowded room, one can feel utterly alone. You need to embrace this alone time and own it. In this alone time lies solitude and in solitude you can listen to your heart and mind. The background noise is completely shut off.
What Cheryl felt in the movie, I have felt the same in my own house, inside four closed walls. What she discovered in the wilderness, I have seen glimpses of the same realization closeted inside my house, away from people.
These days, the solitude does not bother me so much. Rather, I crave it and embrace it most times. This journey from chaos to solitude is a long one, as long as a 1000 mile trek, but every step of that journey shines a new light and uncovers a new part that is me. This journey, is bringing me closer to the person I am, and I want to be.
My eyes were drenched and my heart was heavy as if it was made of lead. I sobbed all the way home, unheeded to the traffic around me. I sobbed my guts out and it felt good, it felt cathartic. We all cry, some loudly and some in the corner of their minds.
Grief, I believe, can manifest itself in many different ways. For Cheryl, the actress in the movie, it manifested in taking drugs and sleeping with men, a series of self-destructive behaviour, trying to cope with her mother's death. My tears were so much for Cheryl, as they were for myself. I could identify with her journey of walking a 1000 miles through the harsh wilderness, to find herself, and return to the person she was before.
As I saw Cheryl, take the first steps of her life changing journey, I thought of my own journey, of seeking to find the person I was, before my journey to find the real me, before I got lost in the wilderness called life.
I also remembered something, a friend had shared some days back, about how all of us are trying to seek value and how in that process we sometimes undermine ourselves, just because we seek love, friendship and being liked by people. We want people to like us and so we forget who we are and what we want from our own lives.
In this fast paced world, when all of us are constantly connected, a tiny island called solitude and being alone helps us to face the real us. In solitude, we are metaphorically naked, with our souls layed bare and the harsh light shining on our good, bad and messed up minds. Solitude makes us confront our demons, as there is no place to run and hide. Even if we do run, there comes a point in time when you have to stop and just deal with the situation.
I have been through the phase many times over in the past one year. My grief manifested in different ways, not all of it was good. I battled negative thoughts and emotions and even drowned in self-pity. I questioned the fairness of life and the question all of us have asked at least once in our lives, Why Me?
Though I never got any answers, what I got back from the extended periods of being alone is that loneliness is a state of mind. Even in a crowded room, one can feel utterly alone. You need to embrace this alone time and own it. In this alone time lies solitude and in solitude you can listen to your heart and mind. The background noise is completely shut off.
What Cheryl felt in the movie, I have felt the same in my own house, inside four closed walls. What she discovered in the wilderness, I have seen glimpses of the same realization closeted inside my house, away from people.
These days, the solitude does not bother me so much. Rather, I crave it and embrace it most times. This journey from chaos to solitude is a long one, as long as a 1000 mile trek, but every step of that journey shines a new light and uncovers a new part that is me. This journey, is bringing me closer to the person I am, and I want to be.
LP I can understand , last 2 months or more have been such a chaos, I often have started t owrite but then gave up as i cant find the words to write.
ReplyDeleteone has to rise above and it is true that you stand alone when you fall, I never thought i would be saying that but that is the harsh reality ..
you take care and you are number one always for yourself no second thought about it , if you love yourself you can love others that is what i have learnt
my best wishes to you and hugs your way God bless
I don't know what to say Vins!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen this movie but have felt almost exactly that bare naked and exposed emotionally very early in life.One thing is for sure ....one never forgets it..but inexplicably..that period becomes a fountainhead of all your emotional strength for years and years to come..Its almost as if theres molten metal poured into your veins..it burns you but definitely makes you much stronger than before.
I won't say you will emerge a winner.. coz I refuse to believe you were ever pushed down..but definitely stronger!
Loads of love and hugs as always
Lazylog
Loneliness really is a state of mind. When one is happy and at peace being alone is a pleasure - at least that's how it is for me. I cherish the quiet, the peace and find a hundred things to do. However there was a phase when I'd quit my job and was on bed rest alone at home I thought I'd go out of my mind. I'd sit in my balcony and desperately watch people going about their business in the building across from mine - simply to get rid of that loneliness. I love the way you are able to bare your heart LP.
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