Sarah Jenkins

To keep the memories of abusive experiences aside, some lock their emotions, thoughts, and experiences away. Some describe their disturbing memories as if they are in a file folder, hard drive, cabinet, on a shelf, or out of the body. For others, the “containers” are described as being hidden from view, out of sight, maybe out of mind. Despite being sealed shut by these distractions, each container wants to be unopened, despite the person’s fear of opening them.

As the year has come to a close, I have spent a great deal of time reflecting on the experiences, lessons, and even challenges that it brought. Like a tide washing over the beach, in and back out again, the year came and went. It left, just as quickly as it came, but not without exquisite shells in its wake.

How many times have you just “known” that something was not good for you, and you did it anyway? How many times have you said to yourself “this time it will be different” or “I won’t do that again,” to find yourself doing the very thing you don’t want to, yet again. Why do we do this to ourselves, even though we want something different?

Sit down, and let me tell you a story, a fable that tells of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It is a fable, written by Aesop, that you may be curious to learn, and can tell us of addiction’s common deceptions. Perhaps you will find the lesson in the beginning, or even at the end, but you will be curious about what you will soon learn, as you read on.

Consider how old you are. Now, consider how old you feel. Perhaps those numbers are the same. For many of you, they won’t be; they will be completely different numbers.

Not feeling “grounded” often walks hand in hand with stress, and may be a signal for a need to connect with yourself and achieve balance. In its extreme, not being grounded is most familiar for those with histories of trauma which can lead to “dissociation.”