Linda K. Bridges, Pikes Peak, Colorado Branch
Unsuspecting, a quarrel hits without warning!
Angry words fly—well-aimed missiles—hitting their mark.
The shards and debris of broken relationships land here and there.
Slivers of misunderstandings pierce hearts and minds—wounds not easily healed.
We scatter, in times like these—each seeking safe places
Where we can replay in our heads what went wrong.
In shock and pain, we wait . . . stunned . . . silent.
How quiet it is after the battle.
We bind our wounds. They seem to gloat in victory of this ruin.
We count our losses. We shift the blame.
‘Now what?’
‘All I said was. . .’
“He said. . .she said. . .”
And so it goes, a circle without end.
We grieve.
Some of us harden our hearts.
The Enemy of our souls wins more than a skirmish—
Can we regain what has been lost?
Dare we try?
“Help your relatives and they will protect you like a strong city wall, but if you quarrel with them, they will close their doors to you.” (Proverbs 18:19 GNT)
Author’s Note: It is no secret that strife and discord lay close beneath the surface of nearly any serious relationship. When contentions erupt, we are forced us to deal with them—or not! This poem was born after such an eruptive moment in our family. I have tried to capture the timeless query going on in the heart of one caught in the cross-fire of a family battle. I also attest, yes! We can regain what has been lost—but it comes with time, perseverance, healing and forgiveness. Yes! We must dare to try—it is worth the effort.
Beautiful poem; strikes a chord. Thanks for sharing
Thank you as I have made a copy to take Monday to a study group at our Church. We are studying the book. “Breathing Under Water: by Richard Rohr and this fits right into the subject of forgiveness, How we let our ego self dominate our true self. Being a Marriage & Family Therapist, I have learned one important thing, that is: an angry person can not hear you. Let them get it out of their system and then when they are able to listen, talk to them about how you feel without blaming. Not easy to do when someone hits you in a very venerable spot, but good to think about & remember.
Or you can always say, “hay, we both went nuts, so now that we are back to normal, let’s talk about what happened.” If it is possible look for the humor in any situation, especially about yourself & be kind in looking back on your mistakes. We all make them & that is why we are human.
God Bless you.
The poem is so effective — really strikes home. I especially appreciated the biblical verbiage — quite significant.
I love this poem! It speaks truth, straight from the heart. The honesty in this poem is heartfelt and many people would benefit from reading these lines. Thanks for speaking truth into our lives. It gives us strength.
Amelia
Very poignant. Can be interpreted in many ways in today’s world of upheaval.
In a perfect world we would all do and say the right things.
And so words have power and can hurt as much as physical
pain. Once a hateful exchange has taken place the words
can’t ever be erased in our hearts and minds. This is an
excellent poem and fully expresses my sentiments on this
subject.
Thank you, ladies, for your comments. I am encouraged and blessed by your thoughts. Relationships are so tricky–and may I add, ‘fragile’–especially when it comes to family and in-laws. I hope you will pass it on to encourage someone who is ‘reeling’ from such an encounter as described in my poem.
Thank you, Linda. This really spoke to me — in comfort!