These Vulnerable Walls

"Some people put walls up, not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to knock them down."

-Unknown.

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In time, people suffer from emotional wounds, there is no doubt about it.  As a result, they learn to use the shattered pieces of their heart to build emotional walls that (they hope) will protect them from further heart break.

The concept of "emotional vulnerability" is fascinating to me.  If you give away too much information about your past, some may learn to use this knowledge to manipulate you.  However, if you conspire to give too little, some may learn to misunderstand you and presume that you have no interest in pursuing any form of relationship, (be it romantic or platonic).

So it is ok to be emotionally vulnerable or to be solidly guarded?  Some will argue that it is simply a matter of trust.  But trust is an idea that is only developed through time and effort - (and it is, thus, the beginning of another cycle in what life calls "experience").

Because the only constant in life is "change", it is safe to assume that we all carry some kind of baggage.  This is not, in any way, meant to be a negative idea because the latter example makes reference to the fact that we all own experiences which we have learned from - and these can be positive and/or negative.

So, in the process of getting to know another, what is the correct route that must be taken?

The truth is, you can't (and should not ever) force somebody to reveal what they carry inside.  Only time will tell if this person is worth the wait - and you may be proud of the efforts you put into play; however, (and ultimately), it is up to that person to reveal what s/he can in the time that s/he is willing to spend with you.  It is a game of patience - like a game of chess that lures your partner to respond to a move you make; and it is strategic, and it takes time (and effort).

It is said that we all display vulnerable walls - some are more visible than others.  Whether these were created as a means of protection, or as a method of testing another's will to exercise the limits of their efforts, it is more than likely that, in the game of illusions and disillusions, only the experienced come out as emotionally triumphant.

Reminiscent

I drove back to the woods where, (in my youthful years), the train of all thoughts began to take shape. I had hoped to hear the soothing sounds that brought serenity to my severe inquisitions; but instead, I remembered the voice that filtered my reasons when despair brought forth harmful doubts and forced me to my knees.

It takes little effort to produce a friend from an acquaintance, but to form a meaningful relationship with precious, lasting memories are scarce, if not difficult to come by.  And as hard as it may have been to accept it, one very important lesson was learned today:  Time and distance have no weight of ruin when the bonds made between two strangers are strongly crafted.

If the message was understood correctly, today marks the day that I re-learn to cherish precious moments in my life.  The mind is a powerful instrument of creation and self-destruction, but the heart, (proven that it can think for itself), has an unspoken presence that can leave a long-lasting footprint in the lives of those who are willing to be surrounded by it.

Death does not discriminate, this is true.  But Life does not end with the last heart beat upon this Earth.  Where memories are many and the heart remains unbroken, those we have lost can be cherished through time and space – and their soul, eternal as they are, will live on forever in our hearts.

“You don’t have a soul.  You are a soul.  You have a body.”

- C.S. Lewis 

The Secret

You burdened me with a beautiful lie
And I pondered about its origin...

Whether the uniqueness of it is a well crafted design
To keep me away
Or to warn me of the reasons for your change of heart.

And now I see you only as temporary and electronic;
Testing my patience and playing with my heart.

Who did I become that made you turn away?
Had my demons startled you so soon?

Yes;
You had yet to understand the nature of my being
When you confessed upon me
Your well crafted lie.