Guarding

There are many ways we guard against the world. It is how we cope with stress and traumatic events.

The Fantastic Four, of the Marvel Comics franchise, personify each of these defense mechanisms. A life-altering, traumatic event completely and permanently transforms them.

Reed Richards, Mister Fantastic, stretches his body into incredible lengths and shapes.

Susan Storm, Invisible Woman, renders herself invisible and projects powerful invisible force fields.

Jonathan Storm, the Human Torch, generates flames, surrounds himself with them and flies.

Benjamin Grimm, the Thing, possesses tremendous superhuman strength, durability, and endurance due to the nature of his stone-like flesh.

I have used each of these to protect myself from feeling pain. To fit in, I have stretched myself to the will of others. To survive, I have become as small as possible, disappearing into the background. To fight against threats, I have projected a sharp, fiery exterior. And the walls get built, layer upon layer, until all that’s left is the wall.

Like my story, the Fantastic Four fight for a cure. They and I needed to return to what we once were.

“This cannot be my life. I need my old life back. I will be a better person. Okay, I give up. How can I make the best of this?”

Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance.

Can we get beyond acceptance to life?

The Fantastic Four finally got to that point when they realized their individual weaknesses were actually strengths when brought together. The whole is greater than its parts.

We think our resources are ours and that they are limited, so we guard. We guard our love, our time and our things.

If we live life with a sense of scarcity, we will guard and hoard our seemingly limited resources.

Can we truly see what we can be together? Can we see our eternal, self-replicating love as it is?

Abundant. Abundant. Abundant.

The more we give, the more we have.

The Flying Lesson

Really live, now.

Please follow and like me: