FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

To you on the outside looking in,
Whose baseless judgment knows no end,
Who pretend to know enough to comprehend
Our pain and suffering, the depths to which we’ve been,
 
You who shake your heads at our great disgrace,
You with lashing tongues that diminish and abase,
From your lofty, healthy, pristine place,
Spout venom dressed up in trite cliches.
 
“A thing to behold, a blessing in disguise,”
So preach the saintly, the philosophers, and the wise,
As if our cruel illness could have an upside,
As if we’ve been granted some “soul-perfecting” prize.
 
You wield your “positivity” as if it’s a club,
“Chin up! Don’t you know you must overcome?”
No compassion, no mercy, no warmth, and no love,
Bludgeon my poor spirit till it grows cold and numb.
 
But when you’re the one who is trapped deep inside,
Inhabiting the world of the forgotten and cast aside,
Where from your brutal fate there is nowhere to hide,
Where your agony and misery cannot be denied,
 
The view appears somewhat different to you,
Murkier, muddier, and harder to see through,
Not the land of the living the others cling to,
The luscious world of wonder that you once knew.
 
We reach for a hand that might lift us up,
For an extended invitation to the joyous world above,
But rather than sweet grace, you offer only rebuff,
No matter our efforts, we are never good enough.
 
Ms. Sunshine, Mr. Righteous, I implore you to see
That your patronizing speeches and harsh enquiries
Serve only to punish, belittle, and demean;
They do nothing to cheer, inspire, or set free.
 
For we live in darkness, and every day is a chore,
Our spirits are dampened, and our bodies are at war.
We can’t readily accomplish what we were able to before,
Takes more time and great effort to replenish and restore.
 
What you see as simple and command that we do,
Is much harder for us, though we try to push through.
We are weak and depleted, gone the strength we once knew,
And every day as we waken, we start the battle anew,
 
We fight to move forward through tribulations and trials,
As survival consumes us and our lives pass us by,
We search to find meaning, know our lives are worthwhile,
It’s not as easy as it sounds to greet this all with a smile.
 
We daily face hardships you will never understand,
And must live within the limits our illnesses demand,
So, your calls to “greatness” and “helpful” reprimands,
Mean little, as we’re already doing the best that we can.
 
If you truly wish to help us, then bend down on your knees,
Pray for our healing, our comfort, our relief,
Acknowledge our struggles and offer blessings and peace,
Live among us, walk beside us, see our hearts, share our grief.
 
The barrier between us that wounds and divides,
Must fall away, and you must come inside.
Come down from the mountain, set your judgments aside,
Lovingly embrace us and try to see us through our eyes.
 
Your wagging tongues you must silence and control,
For you are called to comfort and not just to scold.
Inside, we need understanding and warm hands to hold,
Gentle spirits that nurture, loving arms that enfold.