Comments on: California Fires: Post-Trauma Recovery List http://themoderatevoice.com/15774/california-fires-post-trauma-recovery-list/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Mon, 28 May 2012 07:24:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: California Fires Post Trauma Recovery » Touched by an Angel » http://themoderatevoice.com/15774/california-fires-post-trauma-recovery-list/comment-page-1/#comment-103264 California Fires Post Trauma Recovery » Touched by an Angel » Sat, 27 Oct 2007 05:24:54 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/science/environment/15774/california-fires-post-trauma-recovery-list/#comment-103264 [...] Clarissa Pinkola Estés came up with a list of post-trauma recovery advice, of which I have listed a few in bullet points for easy [...] [...] Clarissa Pinkola Estés came up with a list of post-trauma recovery advice, of which I have listed a few in bullet points for easy [...]

]]> By: Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés http://themoderatevoice.com/15774/california-fires-post-trauma-recovery-list/comment-page-1/#comment-103236 Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés Fri, 26 Oct 2007 23:08:59 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/science/environment/15774/california-fires-post-trauma-recovery-list/#comment-103236 Meaghan, yes, I'm thinking back to "...many use expressive arts to come to terms. Use any and all, as you see fit." Glad you are ten years away from that so difficult time. dr.e Meaghan, yes, I’m thinking back to “…many use expressive arts to come to terms. Use any and all, as you see fit.”

Glad you are ten years away from that so difficult time.

dr.e

]]> By: Meaghan http://themoderatevoice.com/15774/california-fires-post-trauma-recovery-list/comment-page-1/#comment-103223 Meaghan Fri, 26 Oct 2007 21:32:51 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/science/environment/15774/california-fires-post-trauma-recovery-list/#comment-103223 Nearly ten years ago I lost all my precious worldly possessions to fire. I didn't cry or rage or run around desperately trying to replace what I had lost. I seemed to go onto this automatic pilot that left me inclined to think all the talk about post-trauma shock was somewhat, well, overstated. I mean, it was merely coincidental that I had suddenly lost my ability to put anything into writing. Nevermind the Great Novel or crisp emails; even getting a shopping list down on paper was an agony of futility. Then after 5 or 6 months, I knew that somehow I was slowly becoming again capable of stringing together a coherent sentence (and shopping list). What emerged was a concise recap of the first days and months after my Big Burn. It is with love that I pass on "Mending" to you dear, heart-singed survivors in California. <em>MENDING</em> I scrabble to the centre of my web My home my home Such ravaging--holes, great rends Broken strands waving loose and listless Symmetry skewed All that was beauty to me The spinnings of a lifetime Gone--utterly. Strung tenuously between soul and sanity I'm held by these merest of anchors But they are enough--again Endure--again. I rest awhile Then take up my mending The fingers of my mind's eye Somehow knowing unbidden the ancient pattern: Remembering Steel-silk threads Quivering To the pulse of her heartbeat Shimmering Beaded gold in a wet dawn And when she sighed The gentle breath of her Set me humming Those pure, sweet, resonant notes Of a song I once knew by heart. Mending mending mending mending Humming fragments of my song Mending Strand by precious strand. <em>-Meaghan-</em> Nearly ten years ago I lost all my precious worldly possessions to fire. I didn’t cry or rage or run around desperately trying to replace what I had lost. I seemed to go onto this automatic pilot that left me inclined to think all the talk about post-trauma shock was somewhat, well, overstated.

I mean, it was merely coincidental that I had suddenly lost my ability to put anything into writing. Nevermind the Great Novel or crisp emails; even getting a shopping list down on paper was an agony of futility. Then after 5 or 6 months, I knew that somehow I was slowly becoming again capable of stringing together a coherent sentence (and shopping list).

What emerged was a concise recap of the first days and months after my Big Burn. It is with love that I pass on “Mending” to you dear, heart-singed survivors in California.

MENDING

I scrabble to the centre of my web
My home my home
Such ravaging–holes, great rends
Broken strands waving loose and listless
Symmetry skewed
All that was beauty to me
The spinnings of a lifetime
Gone–utterly.

Strung tenuously between soul and sanity
I’m held by these merest of anchors
But they are enough–again
Endure–again.

I rest awhile
Then take up my mending
The fingers of my mind’s eye
Somehow knowing unbidden the ancient pattern:
Remembering
Steel-silk threads
Quivering
To the pulse of her heartbeat
Shimmering
Beaded gold in a wet dawn
And when she sighed
The gentle breath of her
Set me humming
Those pure, sweet, resonant notes
Of a song I once knew by heart.

Mending mending mending mending
Humming fragments of my song
Mending
Strand by precious strand.

-Meaghan-

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