Healing: A Long Journey

Out of all the journeys I have been on – Healing is a long journey, and I am still travelling. It’s a journey that often begins in the depths of despair, where pain and suffering seem insurmountable. I feel like a tourist for all the places I have called home, all the places I have visited and stayed for a bit, I have left a piece of me.

This reminds me of Kahlil Gibran’s timeless masterpiece “The Prophet,” where he writes, “The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.” His deep words of wisdom speak to the paradox of healing—that out of our deepest pain can emerge our greatest strength. It is through facing our wounds, embracing our vulnerabilities, and finding meaning in our suffering that we discover the resilience of the human spirit. I discovered my capacity to endure pain and learned not to lean on things not meant for me.

Healing requires perseverance

Healing is not a linear journey; it’s a series of peaks and valleys, of setbacks and breakthroughs. It requires patience and perseverance, as well as a willingness to confront the shadows of the past. As Rumi, the 13th-century Persian poet, famously wrote, “The wound is the place where the light enters you.” It might sound cliche when we hear or read things but when we experience things and then read these things, we feel the depth of words. In our brokenness, we find the seeds of our transformation, the potential for renewal and growth.

One of the most powerful examples of healing can be found in the story of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. I heard her on YouTube, after surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban at the age of 15, Malala emerged from the darkness with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. Despite the trauma she endured, she refused to be silenced, using her voice to advocate for girls’ education around the world. Through her resilience and courage, Malala has become a beacon of hope and inspiration for millions.

In the words of poet Nayyirah Waheed, “And I said to my body softly, ‘I want to be your friend.’ It took a long breath and replied, ‘I have been waiting my whole life for this.'” The body stores trauma and healing begins with self-compassion, with extending kindness and understanding to ourselves in our moments of greatest need. It’s about embracing our imperfections, honouring our scars, and recognising the beauty in our brokenness.

Let us be gentle with ourselves and with each other, knowing that healing is not a destination but a way of being. Create your own space, your rhythm of life, sometimes, it is in the act of creation, of expression, that we find our greatest source of healing.

I am participating in #BlogchatterA2Z 2024 and will be writing one informational post almost every day for you. 🙂 Keep reading!