martyrdom
Living for others,
so they say,
is one of the highest of goods.
Dying, even more.
But while it may be asserted noble to suffer for others,
I'm not buying it.
We can't avoid all forms of shared misery,
c'est la vie.
But if you're hanging on the cross for someone else,
it's time to come down, and walk away.
If you're lucky, someone may come along
take the hammer from you,
and twist it around to show you that the hammer you use to nail yourself up
can also be used to pry out the nails.
I was so lucky.
You still have to stop actively hammering yourself into place.
You still have to pry out the nails.
You still have to make your way down
and walk free.
I know it's hard.
Pulling them out hurts.
It hurts so much that you want to stop prying,
and just let them be
and settle back against the cross.
But once they're out,
the pain really does go away.
Once the pain is gone
it's hard to understand what kept you up there for so long,
and walking away becomes easy.
I wish I could do this for you,
but all I can do is try to twist the hammer.
I hope you join me soon.
