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Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Falling apart at mid-life





I remember weeping in the bathtub

I remember muscles soft like mush, a broken knee, walking with crutches

I remember healing in the sun-filled solarium in winter, listening to Yo Yo Ma

I remember falling apart

I remember  getting a frozen shoulder a few years later, after bursitis, and walking 2 large dogs every day; the acupuncturist said, can’t anybody else walk the dogs?

I remember tears, and playing lullabies to soothe myself to sleep

I remember daily naps, in the afternoon

I remember asking my daughter to tuck me in at 8:30 cause I couldn’t stay awake

I remember sleeping with a heating pad under my shoulders, intense pain

I remember backing out of many volunteer jobs because I could not handle the stress; And then my shoulders got better

I remember being disappointed in myself

I also remember how hard I tried to be good,  to be counted on, and reliable and how I felt ashamed of not seeing things through.

But my brain was mush, my legs were mush and I was in a fog, lying in pieces on the floor

I wrote poems about this, but nobody wanted to hear them

I could not hide my failing apartness, nor my wicked mood swings

I needed solitary confinement or a straitjacket, not to harm my children with all the yelling.

I yelled a lot, for no reason

As I said, the walls were not holding

It was a time of falling down

And ceasing to pick myself up.

It did not last forever. 

t just felt like it.

Jennifer Boire



4 comments:

Sobhi said...

You are so good with words.It's so nice that you can get in touch with your feelings, thoughts and put them on paper.

Creative Soulful Woman said...

thanks Sobhie, it's good to hear that.

Barbara Techel said...

Refreshing to read...to know one is not alone. I passed this along to a friend too. This is all normal, I know.... but sometimes one feels like they've lost their mind! :)
Thanks again!

Barbara

Creative Soulful Woman said...

exactly Barbara, and sharing with others is the best way to realize you are not alone!