We're Not Made of Glass

Years ago I heard a set of lines spoken by a fictional someone, created by a group of writers who probably didn't realize the far-reaching affects they would have. That's the funny thing about creating something. You think you're merely exposing a piece of yourself or communicating some source of inward inspiration, when what you're really doing is opening up a portal of sorts that has the capacity to give someone else the knowledge, vision, or helpful guidance that they need. Those set of words flashed through my thoughts this evening, in the midst of tears that welled up in my eyes as the result of receiving what I'll call an indirect confirmation; a piece of advice.

Those words I heard years ago went something like this: "We're not made of glass, you and I. We're not going to break." Somewhere on an old VHS tape that's stored away in the dusty back corner of my entertainment center, I probably could still listen to the audible version of those words if I wanted. I could, perhaps, if I'm lucky enough to find that VHS tape still intact or a clip of the scene that someone else more fanatic than myself uploaded on YouTube. These words, after all, were broadcast long before the days of TiVo and DVR's. Nonetheless, they're still imprinted on my heart and serve as a powerful reminder to not only myself, but to anyone who's in the midst of uncertainty or about to be.

You see uncertainty isn't really what we're afraid of. What we really fear is what will happen to us. We get anxiety over the possibility of no longer being who we thought we were, of getting hurt, damaged, or even shattered into a million pieces beyond recognition. We're afraid of falling so hard and so fast that no amount of glue or precision can restore us back to what we were. But focusing on that gets us nowhere and ignores the fact that deep inside we're unbreakable. It doesn't matter if we fall or how hard or fast we do it. We're probably bound to at least once or twice. But no matter how many times we may find ourselves staring at the ground, we still find a way to dust off the debris, attend to the wounds until they heal and place ourselves back upright.

Humanity is amazingly resilient in that sense. What we choose may be uncertain. The path we think we're taking may lead us somewhere unintentional and quite different from where we originally wanted to go. We may get hurt; we may endure hardship and suffering. Lessons and growth aren't meant to be easy. However, we'll still be who we are-intact, only stronger.

Breaking the intangible spirit is impossible, even when it thinks it is lost and forgotten.