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It is in times of strife we develop a psychic armor to protect ourselves from the trauma of our experiences. We wear this armor too often, and it creates for us both a barrier from the world and restricts the space to grow as who we are underneath.
We may believe ourselves a need to be strong in a 'real men don't cry' world. But this is not adaptable, it cannot last. To accept ourselves, to show what is beneath and consider who we are behind the defenses, allows us to create real connections with ourselves and others.
You are not to blame for the defenses you employ, or the armor you wear. It was a matter of survival. But it doesn't always need to be. You don't always need to fight against the past and be prepared for a monster that may never come again. It's safe for you.
When we drop the armor, we realise that underneath we are all the same. Our armor can be stacked together and accessed when needed, but the rest of the time it stops us from becoming close. It tires us with its weight. Be free.
Real men cry, and that's good. Emotion, connection, empathy, fear, these are all part of the human condition. If we learn to embrace them, we can learn to overcome our fear of them, and find them as authentic ways to connect. Our experience binds us together.
