Instead of C-PTSD
A response poem to Andrea Gibsons "Instead of Depression"
Instead of C-PTSD
Call it sensitivity
to life’s most unbearable pain
white blood cells flowing through our veins
the red ones stand no chance
against the mis-use of trust
Instead of treatment
call it remembering connection
is life’s strongest medicine
that connection is protection
Instead of treatment
call it learning to love
learning how to trust
what once nearly killed us
Instead of C-PTSD call it bravery
call it showing the utmost courage
letting our guards down
Instead of treatment call it privilege
to sit with
call it treat with care
with the utmost reverence
Instead of patient, call us teacher
call it learning the cost
of not knowing how to treat trust
of not knowing how
to hold the most tender hearts
Call it learning that the best and only medicine is love
not the romantic kind but the kind
that says I don’t have the answers
but I’m here to help
that says “that sounds painful”
mid panic attack
that says you are so much more than what happened to you
that knows when what we do is our pain speaking
and beneath it all is a person worth loving
The original poem by the late Andrea Gibson:
😢♥️🙏