In the past, there seemed to me to be two types of people: those who feel deeply, and those who are apathetic. I see now that there is a range: some people more willing to allow the experience of those emotions than others, although I still find that certain people feel on a deeper level than others.
Those beautiful creatures who feel deeply are those who love with their whole beings, they feel their emotions from the very core of their being to the ends of their fingertips. Joy and pain alike have powers so strong in these people that those feelings sometimes seem to be the essence of who they are.
Scared of feeling exposed. "We all have our super hero capes, don't we? Perfectionism and overworking, snarkiness and apathy, they're all superhero capes. We all put our superhero capes over our real selves so our real tender selves don't have to be seen and don't have to be hurt."
"Lessons from the mental hospital"
What is your cape? What do you hide underneath that shell? We've all created one. And it was meant to be. Sometimes, especially if we are sensitive, feeling the pain of an emotion or a situation can be overwhelming, and so that cape provides the much needed solace. It IS a protection. And that's okay. That's coping.
But what happens when that protection has been around for so long that we don't remember what was underneath? This, my friends, would be what you might recognize as selective amnesia. We might think that this is rare, but I've seen people realize things about their past, and their childhood in particular, when they look like regular, healthy, put-together people. And that's because they are. There is no shame in protecting oneself.
As adults, pursuing growth and expansion of our selves, we must face the pain underneath in order to move past it. While the superhero cape, the protection, is present, the effect that the pain or trauma had on us will be hidden from the world, and most importantly: from us. Accepting that pain and allowing ourselves to feel it....now THAT is being a superhero.
So I challenge you today to remove that cape, take the step:
DREAM of who you are underneath and what you are capable of.
DARE to expose yourself, and challenge those around you to do the same.
BE vulnerable. And BE present for those around you who are there too.
