Sunday, November 30, 2014

Won

 
Won
 
Prompt used:
 
Most of the time these days I don't share my personal thoughts very much. I used to blog fairly prolifically about my mental health issues and my metaphysical beliefs. I no longer do. I used to cling to the idea that I could help others with my honesty, but I actually wasn't being true to myself.
Today, I will talk about my Won.
I once believed that it was my destiny to become famous. This is probably part and parcel of my psych disorder. I thought that I had an important message to impart to the world. At the point in my life when I was religious, I believed that I was sent by God to do so.
I discovered that I actually dislike pursuing fame. I'm a very vulnerable person. I don't like opening myself up to the kind of scrutiny that fame requires. I wish that people wouldn't be so mean and judgmental, but they are.
Losing my quest for fame was similar to losing my desire to drink. Believe me, I once loved to toss one or six back. You think I'm talking about beer? Silly you. I'm talking about Long Island Iced Teas. I liked to party. I liked to get down. When I stopped being able to drink, it became very difficult for me to socialize.
I've spent the last five years figuring out what the hell to do with myself without the pursuit of fame.
Fame is an illusory and fickle master. Those who become famous don't necessarily remain that way. Fame has a way of destroying those it creates.
I found out a lot about fame when I decided I no longer wanted to pursue it. It was sort of like finding out that my perfect husband was actually cheating his way through town with every man, woman, and sometimes underaged person that he could get his hands on, and on top of that he was having people killed.
I'm going to make a long story short. There were a lot of hurtful events leading up to my eventual decision. There was a lot of backstabbing by people who called themselves "friends," and a lot of losing parts of myself that I'd always held dear.
One of these so called "friends" caused me to lose the belief in the part of myself which was able to reach beyond the material world and touch the spiritual levels. I said that I would never connect the the worlds beyond again. This decision caused not only me but my creativity to suffer. I went into a Dark Night of the Soul.
Recent events on a metaphysical level (which I am going to be cagey about) have led to some of those parts returning. There is someone I can never thank enough. My connection to the spirit world was always very important to me. When I lost it, I lost a big part of myself. Thanks to this special soul, that connection has returned.
I will never again pursue fame, but I am no longer so hardline as I was before on the idea of never publishing again outside of blogging.
Getting rid of the Won that I had to be famous to do good was the first step.
Getting rid of the Won that I had to do things other people's way to be in tune with the world beyond was the second step. I could not have done this without help.
I'm the shout it from the rooftops type of person. I wish I could reveal more about this turning-point situation, but I really can't. Suffice it to say, it has made all the difference.
There are those who will scoff at what I'm saying here. There are those who won't scoff but also won't believe me.
For the scoffers, it is not my job to persuade you. I am not the Jerk Whisperer.
It isn't my job to persuade anyone else either. I won't be sucked into the "prove it or it doesn't exist" argument as I have in the past. I don't tell you how to believe. I trust you will return the favor.
Some people will say that what I experience is part of my mental illness. I truly believe that it is not. I have always been able to discern between concrete physical reality and those things that can't be proven by hard science. Bipolar type 2 does not tend to present with hallucinations or illusions. I've had both before, usually as the result of medication or illicit drugs, or in some cases extreme lack of sleep. I can tell when I'm hallucinating.
I do not generally see spirits, although I have seen them on two occasions. I sense their emotions. I have fairly pronounced empathic abilities.
In any case, regardless of whatever anyone else may believe, I have some very important parts of myself back, and I have shed the millstone of fame that was hanging around the neck of my soul.
I feel hope and I feel love.
I refuse to believe that these things are Won.
I tried to be completely secular for too long. That isn't me.
I am not religious, but I have spiritual beliefs.
I will not let my soul be stolen from me again.
 
~Cie~


8 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a powerful and intimate piece one I can relate too. Though I have always danced to my own tune volitionally or not (I just can't dance otherwise) I still feel that immense pressure to prove my merit. I have this real hangup about people not believing what I am saying. I second guess myself compulsively. I still look at success as something others have but as a state I cannot personally achieve because I am "wrong".

Ornery Owl of Naughty Netherworld Press and Readers Roost said...

I can totally relate to what you're saying. I feel such a deep shame when people tell me I'm "wrong." They have no idea how devastating it is to me.
My father had OCD (which he didn't know) and was such a perfectionist that to this day I can't go on my own intuition. I constantly second-guess myself. And I'm almost 50.
I've often felt like an alien in this world. I feel fortunate when I find another who can relate to what I say, but sorry too because I wouldn't wish such loneliness on anyone.

Unknown said...

What a great post! I was hesitant to write on this, feeling I am blubbering,at times, my own language that may appear illogical, but it is not mundane...beautifully written and I can relate on so many levels. Thanks you for sharing...I enjoyed this expression...Jerk Whisperer...(grins) I will be posting at my other blog, Tracesofthesoul later.

Jules said...

May your bravery increase. May your blessings increase. May your belief in yourself become your safe dwelling.

I have found other English definitions for won that I have incorporated into my story, perhaps also the poem I wrote as well.

Best to you and those who support you.
~Jules

Anonymous said...

This is really powerful and hard-hitting at so many levels. A dense perspective of life, a life that has dreamt, learnt the hard way but still mustering the strength to keep moving - unapologetically!

Ornery Owl of Naughty Netherworld Press and Readers Roost said...

Thank you, Cheri-Lynn. I can relate to the feeling of not being understood. I often feel like people don't really get me. I feel like an alien a lot of the time.
Glad you stopped by!

Thank you so much, Jules. Very kind words. I appreciate it.

Thank you armchair perfectionist. Sometimes I do feel like I should apologize for myself--but then it passes! ;-)

Michael said...

Discovering there is a self that is you and one with whom you can comfortably live is a great moment in anyone's life. I know as a kid growing up I wanted to be a great sportsman but that never happened, thankfully. I think you have revealed parts of your self that you are happy with and what more could any person want. Thanks for sharing your story I enjoyed reading it.

Anonymous said...

Good luck on your inner journey. Don't give up on yourself.