IT
It has the ability to and often does, destroy life.
It takes away dreams.
It slowly and painfully takes away the passions and desires of the survivor to the point that they do not know who is in the mirror, neither do they like that person.
Slowly and painfully, the spouse watches along the sidelines as the person they fell in love with disappears. You know they're still there deep down and you hope they will heal and come back to you one day. You've come to realize though, while they will never be the same due to IT, once they heal and move forward this experience and lessons learned combined with finding and being themselves again is an even better option. Trials either make us or break us. We decide IT'S going to make us better. This has made you love them more. It's made you honor they're courage and strength to live another day and fight so hard for their freedom, for a 'normal' life. It's also made them love you more because they finally understand that 'for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part' was a vow that was intended to be lived out and will continue to be, NO MATTER WHAT.
It either does one of two things to a marriage. It becomes tragic and then ends or it forms such a bond and rock that nothing can separate you. Your marriage and friendship becomes life and death, one wouldn't be alive without the other. I thank God, IT has led us to the second outcome which is rare.
It has the ability to kill and the pain their eyes kills your heart as well because all you want to do it take it for them.
No one, except the survivors and battle buddies (wife in my case) know the depths of darkness or terror it causes.
It calls for a serious spiritual battle. Being in this spiritual battle isn't for the weak, it's for the faithful and strong because it takes a strong faith in God (which is the source of hope to continue) and strength to survive. But, that's not to say the ones who just couldn't imagine living with IT were not strong or faithful because I know they fought the good fight for a happy and normal life. If you know IT and experience IT, you can't blame them for needing relief. It's tragic.
It isolates, not only the survivor but the battle buddy too. It steals the chance of a 'normal' every day life that so many take for granted.
Your life for the current day all depends on that night before hand. Did it hold terror and horror that no human should endure? Or for once were you actually able to lie your head on your pillow and have a peaceful night's sleep despite being fearful to fall asleep because of the demons that normally come out? If this happened though, it was probably only because your body and brain were so exhausted from the nights and days before of fighting IT.
IT is something that people either don't know exists, doesn't think is real (as if it's an illness that you can put a band-aid over and move on in life the next day) or worse, something they fear and treat the person as if they're going to lose it and become violent, go off on a killing rampage.That's the worst.
IT is PTSD.
With all of the negative of this disability there is positive of course. There are aspects that bring thankfulness.
IT is not stronger then he is.
IT doesn't define him (it's just a season that IT controls our every day life).
IT has taught invaluable life lessons that will be used to help others.
How am I sure of these things?
It takes away dreams.
It slowly and painfully takes away the passions and desires of the survivor to the point that they do not know who is in the mirror, neither do they like that person.
Slowly and painfully, the spouse watches along the sidelines as the person they fell in love with disappears. You know they're still there deep down and you hope they will heal and come back to you one day. You've come to realize though, while they will never be the same due to IT, once they heal and move forward this experience and lessons learned combined with finding and being themselves again is an even better option. Trials either make us or break us. We decide IT'S going to make us better. This has made you love them more. It's made you honor they're courage and strength to live another day and fight so hard for their freedom, for a 'normal' life. It's also made them love you more because they finally understand that 'for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part' was a vow that was intended to be lived out and will continue to be, NO MATTER WHAT.
It either does one of two things to a marriage. It becomes tragic and then ends or it forms such a bond and rock that nothing can separate you. Your marriage and friendship becomes life and death, one wouldn't be alive without the other. I thank God, IT has led us to the second outcome which is rare.
It has the ability to kill and the pain their eyes kills your heart as well because all you want to do it take it for them.
No one, except the survivors and battle buddies (wife in my case) know the depths of darkness or terror it causes.
It calls for a serious spiritual battle. Being in this spiritual battle isn't for the weak, it's for the faithful and strong because it takes a strong faith in God (which is the source of hope to continue) and strength to survive. But, that's not to say the ones who just couldn't imagine living with IT were not strong or faithful because I know they fought the good fight for a happy and normal life. If you know IT and experience IT, you can't blame them for needing relief. It's tragic.
It isolates, not only the survivor but the battle buddy too. It steals the chance of a 'normal' every day life that so many take for granted.
Your life for the current day all depends on that night before hand. Did it hold terror and horror that no human should endure? Or for once were you actually able to lie your head on your pillow and have a peaceful night's sleep despite being fearful to fall asleep because of the demons that normally come out? If this happened though, it was probably only because your body and brain were so exhausted from the nights and days before of fighting IT.
IT is something that people either don't know exists, doesn't think is real (as if it's an illness that you can put a band-aid over and move on in life the next day) or worse, something they fear and treat the person as if they're going to lose it and become violent, go off on a killing rampage.That's the worst.
IT is PTSD.
With all of the negative of this disability there is positive of course. There are aspects that bring thankfulness.
IT is not stronger then he is.
IT doesn't define him (it's just a season that IT controls our every day life).
IT has taught invaluable life lessons that will be used to help others.
How am I sure of these things?
'Little children, you are from God and have overcome them,
for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.' - 1 John 4:4
Great article, good job.
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