TBT ~ Metaphor ~ A Comparison Between Then and Now

Throwback Thursday, , , , , , , , ,
TBT ~ Metaphor ~ A Comparison Between Then and Now 1

Welcome to Throwback Thursday where I find a blog post that is at least five years old and compare how I was doing back then to how I am doing now.

The following piece entitled “Metaphor” is a poem I wrote on December 26, 2012, comparing myself to the act of writing and story-telling.  I use writing to describe how I’ve been altered, revised, and changed.  Though this piece deals with aspects of Dissociative Identity Disorder, there is an overall theme to which everyone can relate.  Please read the passage; my comments and comparisons between then and now will follow.

 
————————————————————————–
I am a proofread, amended manuscript.
An altered copy of the undesirable original
where history was unnecessarily edited:

Delete this. Add that.

I was broken down into parts,
each line, each word, each letter
declared this blue-eyed literary initiative all wrong.

The authors claimed I was filled with mistakes:
disconnected,
superfluous,
unstructured,
fragmented.

Each page was rewritten until I was nothing but a collection of multiple revisions,
decidedly unfit for publication.

But authors don’t write stories.
Stories write stories.

I am my own story,
my own unfinished truth,
my own work in progress,
my own creative effort.

And in the beauty of our revisions is where our story will be told.

—————————————————————————-
 

I am glad I revisited this piece of writing. Whether you have D.I.D. or not, the story is the same.  We are all works in progress, changing and revising ourselves to be better, happier, and healthier people. 

At first the poem seemed dark, especially the lines describing how I was unfit for publication, meaning I was deficient.  While five years later I still feel deficient and not good enough, I embrace and relate to the ending of this piece because no one can write my proverbial story but me.  While those that have hurt me wrote the beginning chapters of my book, I will decide how it will end.
I find the last line of the poem to be both beautiful and exquisite.  Our story is about so much more than what was done to us but more about how we are working to overcome the damage inflicted.  
I feel the same way as I did five years ago that the beauty of our story is about how our revisions, our changes, our progress improves our well-being.  That is the truth in which our narrative will be told.  Yes, we are works in progress, and that is the most beautiful story of all.

 

Let’s get to know each other!

  1. If you had to compare yourself to something, what would it be and why?
  2. Do you have a spirit animal?
  3. What was the last movie you saw in the theater?

 

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Hey, y'all. My name is Becca, and I run this mental health website called Missing In Sight. I am a mental health warrior, battling stigma and discrimination right by your side. I created this blog to share my personal stories of pain, strength, and hope so you know you are never alone.

3 thoughts on “TBT ~ Metaphor ~ A Comparison Between Then and Now”

  1. A black panther, is my spirit animal. In my early 30s I had a taek won do test the next day. I was terrified. I would be in front of hundreds of people, and judges. I tried to go to sleep for the night. When I closed my eyes a pair of golden eyes appeared and the outline of a Panthers face. I felt “wow!!”. That never happened to me before. And I looked into its eyes and felt no fear and felt empowered. I slept peaceful . And I passed the testing the next day! I felt no fear yet strangely , my body shook uncontrollably thru it. Ever since, I took on the believe that it is my spirit animal .

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  2. I agree with you, the last line of the poem is amazing. As for your questions: 1) I really don’t know but possibly a sandcastle reinforced with a more graceful version of rebar? 2) dolphin 3) It’s been so long I don’t even remember

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    1. Thank you for reading and commenting! Dolphins used to be my spirit animal too, but I think elephants fit me better for a spirit animal. I love how maternal the herd of elephants is. The females in the family all stay together and take care of each other and protect each other. It’s a matriarchal system that literally grieves when a member dies. I think I’m drawn to elephants because of the maternal and emotional nature. I didn’t have a good and protective mother growing up, so I think that’s why I’m fascinated by elephants. 🙂

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