Mutual respect and friendship isn’t always genuine. It’s a hard lesson I’ve learned time and time again.
Sometimes all it takes is one look. A split second, and it’s all over. You see it. That flash of disgust flickering across their face. That’s when you know, it was all a lie. You wait, hoping it was wrong. That it was a trick of light.
But it didn’t take long to realize the truth, did it? “I was nothing to you,” you think. It took some processing to accept it, but if you’re being honest with yourself, that instant of distaste was enough to lose all respect for them.
I’m here to tell you that they weren’t worth it. Don’t mourn them, because they don’t deserve it. You know who you are. You are the sum of all that has happened to you, and you have come out the other side intact. Or you’re on your way. So no matter what they think of you, or if they used you, took advantage, it doesn’t matter.
Shake it off, and make a friend out of the rest of your pain. Hug it. Build your world around it and the people you know are family, whether they’re blood or not. Even if you lock yourself away from the rest of the world. Make beauty from your pain, and show the world — not just them — that you can overcome anything. And you have. You’ve won. They didn’t take that piece of you that still shone in the darkness. You bloomed beneath the moonlight, and they had no part of it.
That’s when you know, even though it’ll take time, you are worth it. And they aren’t.
© Sarah Doughty
For the ‘Support Insta Writers’ August Prompts
(based on books written by authors in the IG community)
hosted by Tracy and Journee.
The Rising by @corvina.de.obsidina @poetry_goddess88 @trvp3zoid @open_journal @fictionvixen11 @kris_johnston_author Devon West and Erica Harris
Well written! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh thank you. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are welcome 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have been surfing online more than 3 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. In my view, if all webmasters and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet will be much more useful than ever before. addaegfbeekecdcg
LikeLike
One look and it is over – been there, done that. However, there is another side to the ‘one look’ phenomenon. One look and I am gone. One look and I am in love. One look and I see what I have never seen before.
To hell with those who are gone from our lives (they came for a reason or a season. We outgrew them. Good riddance). Wait for new ‘looks’
Good luck
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, indeed. Thank you so much! 😊 😊 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
… make a friend out of the rest of your pain. Wonderful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, thank you! 😊
LikeLike
You go girl ! Whitney sang it,” The greatest love of all is easy to achieve. Learning to love yourself. It is the greatest love of all.” Thanks for the ‘like’. I love great quotes, don’t you ?
The Castle Lady
LikeLiked by 1 person
I definitely do! Thank you for sharing that one with me! 😊
LikeLike
I needed this right now; thank you ❤ It is a blessing from The Lord that I came upon it. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s my pleasure to share. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. 😊
LikeLike
It’s so bizarre reading this at this moment in my life. At this precise moment. I think I centred my entire existence making those people my nearest and dearest.. How far my fall from what appears to be grace will be and how many lights there will be and how many filliments will burst and perhaps in all guts and glory a familiar mask I once knew as myself might make itself apparent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, it’s unfortunate that’s happened to you. But you’ve seen the truth and you can learn from it, move beyond it, and find the right people to surround you. 💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well put, Sarah. You ignore that look or that action at your peril. We always seem to want to give the guilty party a second chance…and third…etc.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true. I’ve been known to do this in the past myself. Sigh.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lot of such people would be called “controlling”, and some are obvious, but not all are immediately. My biggest problems came from dealing with the latter. Maybe I didn’t want to believe what I saw, but now it’s obvious, and the need to avoid it again is clear.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s very true. They prey on our personalities to their advantage.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! I can relate! This is nice!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much. It’s unfortunate, but this happens all the time.
LikeLike
Indeed. 🙂 Life and its never ending lessons.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very true.
LikeLike
Isn’t it wonderful to be able to get to your inner emotions through writing fiction stories or poetry. Writing does release a lot of pent up emotions that sometimes we aren’t even aware of. Art is another good way of dealing with those emotions as well. I write and sketch or paint depending on the mood.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, I dabble in those areas as well. Creativity is such a great release.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Kabue Charles.
LikeLike
That’s the spirit!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
So well put up. Very powerful. couldn’t help reblogging 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, thanks so much! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love it
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! 😊 😊
LikeLike
You’ve ‘liked’ a few of my posts so I’m going to presume that you find some value in what I write. That said…this is not poetry, Sarah, but it is undeniably outstanding text. That is what I know. What I don’t know is whether or not all of it is yours given everything what follows “The Rising […]” confuses who is the author of what. If this text is yours please send me an e-mail (that[dot]bitter[dot]voice[at]gmail) so I can talk with you more about the piece and your project, broadly speaking.
I’m working on finishing up Prelude to the Downfall over the next few days, but if I see your e-mail I will make a concerted effort to respond before finishing the structuring of ‘pt. V’ and ‘pt. VI’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“What I don’t know is whether or not all of it is yours given everything what follows “The Rising […]” confuses who is the author of what.”
Should be:
What I don’t know is whether or not all of it is yours given everything that follows “The Rising […]” confuses who is the author of what.
All these years and WP doesn’t have an Edit Comment function…sorry about the error.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m confused, both appear the same to me. The Rising is an anthology poetry book that was ‘written’ by several different writers.
LikeLike
There is a month long prompt set up on Instagram to write pieces based on the titles of books written by writers in the instagram writing community. The concept of rising up to overcome the things that hurt people was the theme of this piece, thus fitting the prompt. All the words are mine. And it has no bearing on the book, or the authors that contributed to it. This prompt was briefly covered beneath my name.
That being said, this is more prose and nonfiction than poetry, but I usually include poetry as a tag for anything I consider prose.
I appreciate the kind words about the piece itself, but I’m unsure of the necessity to email to discuss it further. If possible, please explain why you would like to do so.
LikeLike
“I appreciate the kind words about the piece itself, but I’m unsure of the necessity to email to discuss it further. If possible, please explain why you would like to do so.”
A few reasons, all of which sound really out of place in our society. First, I would rather not bog your page down with commentary better suited to an e-mail where I can freely write at length. Second, I enjoy corresponding with people who actually have something to say, meaningful communication rather than the superficial social media tripe. Third, I enjoy corresponding with people who seem to take pride in and care with their work, since I might learn something from them and they might learn something from me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Alright. I understand. I’ll send an email.
LikeLike
“They didn’t take that piece of you that still shone in the darkness. You bloomed beneath the moonlight, and they had no part of it.” This is an illuminating image of strength and beauty. Well done!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much! 😊
LikeLike
A poignant post Sarah! You speak a great truth. When people support us, and emphasis our qualities, they show us that they’re worth being in our lives… Anyone who expresses disgust, or anything malicious towards us, we’re better off without!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Powerful stuff, Sarah! Bravo!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! 😊 😊 😊 😊
LikeLike
Reblogged this on The Melodramatic Confessions of Carla Louise and commented:
An amazing article! A must-read 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on .
LikeLike
I love this! can I reblog it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes of course! 😊 Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So much love for this! Reblogging!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh thank you! 😊 😊 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
betrayal of friendship gives the worst pain and this piece is such an empowering one about it, S. That last line is like a final truth-blow! Let me also highlight these two great lines: “You are the sum of all that has happened to you, and you have come out the other side intact. Or you’re on your way. ”
Great, love!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awww thank you so much, love. I’m happy you like it. ❤ I wanted something positive to come out of this and I’m rather proud of it. I also feel better after writing it too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You should really be proud. this is more than positive, it’s resonating and awakening too. 🙂 ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aww thank you. 💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
you’re welcome! 🙂 and your last line in your previous comment. it attest Stephen King’s statement that before the readers are moved, authors should be moved first. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, exactly! 😊 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
❤ this, thank you. I have been there, and it hurt like hell.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Inspirational piece. I make medicine out of my pain. You make beauty out of yours. Nice to meet kindred spirits. Thank you ! Have a nice day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw thank you! You definitely make beauty from yours as well. Have a good night! 😊
LikeLike
This is such an amazing, powerful post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, love. I thought, rather than wallowing in it, that I should let it out and embrace it, like I’ve embraced everything else, and turn it into something positive. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, Sarah. I think this piece is one that I like the most of yours, as-of-yet. It was a good reminder that each of us are worthy, yet we don’t always get that mutuality, as we should. I appreciated this today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Unfortunately, I’ve been there too many times. I thought, rather than wallowing in the most recent betrayal / rejection, that I should let it out and embrace it, like I’ve embraced everything else, and turn it into something positive.
LikeLike
It happens to the “best” of us (which is all of us). 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course. If only this world wasn’t so cruel.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Still Another Writer's Blog.
LikeLike
This reminds of Anna Karenina. I can’
LikeLiked by 1 person
This reminds of Anna Karenina. Your writing is enchanting and beautiful. ‘Respect was invented to cover the space where love never was.’
-Leo Tolstoy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh nice! Thank you for the lovely quote. I’m honored. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very true. I didn’t think of that while writing this. Thank you for sharing! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautifully strong and inspiring, Sarah. Love your message here. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much! This one, I needed to share. 😊 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you did. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was the perfect thing to read in the morning 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aww thank you! 😊 😊
LikeLike
Reblogged this on La Petit Muse and commented:
This is beautiful. It is very important to be you and not someone else. Take off that mask if you’re wearing one today and embrace yourself. Thank you for this wonderful write, Sarah.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aww thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re most welcome. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This will offer comfort to someone who needs it the most. Nevertheless, this is a beautiful write. Being you is more important than trying to put on a ask for someone else. ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Exactly, thanks, love. 😊 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful write, Sarah–offers much comfort to me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m honored and happy you liked it. 😊 😊
LikeLike
Very much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this. I can so relate to this.
I understand you are talking about the emotional pains we suffer in life. I have learned to embrace those and even turn them to my advantage.
I have taken this one step further and I embrace the physical pains I feel.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m happy to hear that. It’s the only way to turn a bad situation around. 💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely right. All my life I’ve been careful of what I say, how I say it, when I say it, so as not to take a chance of saying the wrong thing or hurting someone or worrying that they take What I said the wrong way. Well, screw it. How many people are that concerned about my feelings?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Exactly! Be you. Thank you so much! 😊 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, even at my age it’s still something I work on:)
LikeLiked by 2 people
I understand. Thank you! 😊
LikeLike
great motivational piece. love “Make beauty from your pain … They didn’t take that piece of you that still shone in the darkness.” that’s what you need to get over pain – posivity and inner strength/beauty.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Exactly! Thank you so much! 😊 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
my pleasure
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesomeness! Thank you for this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for reading! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
See it in a way that somehow it is a blessing they go away… We are so more precious diamonds that we deserve the Best…. And we are so strong that their going cannot hurt us lots…. But remember to be thankful to them too, because it is these kinds who help us to know who we really are…. Forgive them to show to self, aah yes I am love my self…..
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’re exactly right. Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Omg I just wrote a post about embracing pain. Sometimes it’s all you can do. Love this so so much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much! 😊 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can’t get over how beautiful this is. I think it just made me tear up a bit. Oh God.. Seriously, epic write-up, mate :’)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, thank you so much! 😊 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re most welcomed 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person