Friday, May 24, 2013

Tired

Yes, I am tired. In a deep sense of the word. Exhausted, fatigued, weary. Physically, mentally, emotionally, even spiritually. Such an easy response to the "are you okay" question. Just tired. It's a great answer because everyone already knows what that answer entails. But does the assumption fit the reality? Tired because I have trouble sleeping? I have trouble sleeping because most of the time I sleep on the couch because that's where I am most comfortable emotionally not physically. I don't like sleeping in my bedroom. Most bedrooms in fact. I have bad memories of bedrooms. When I do sleep it is a restless one. A lot of tossing and turning and waking up multiple times. This has sadly become a regular part of my life. Also for the past few years I've discovered I grind my teeth when I sleep resulting in a sore mouth and jaw when I wake up. Tired of the daily, monotonous routine of no routine. Desiring so much more but laziness, fear, procrastination all get in the way. I am my biggest stumbling block to my own happiness. Laziness because I want a change, any change, and it needs to be a big one; but I don't want to put in the effort or work to make one. Fear because change means different, which is out of my comfort zone and familiarity. Fear that what I want in my life I can't obtain because I don't have what it takes to obtain it. Procrastination because there is always tomorrow and next week and next month to make the change. I have this delusional idea that I will be a different person and have the things I want in the next few years without knowing how it happened. It will just happen somehow. Sounds immature, I know. I'm tired of not having things the way I want them to be, yet tired that I'm not content and making the best of the way things are. Because the truth is, I have a great life. Everything that I always dreamed I'd have when I was younger. A husband that is my best friend and who is a good father. A child of my own. A beautiful house very close to family. It all looks right on the outside. The perfect picture wrapped up in a pretty little bow. Yet it's not enough. And I'm tired of the lack of fulfillment feeling. It's draining, and hollow. There is a stirring inside, an irritation, and that's how it starts. Then it gets stronger and slowly turns into anger. I'm a pretty quiet person emotionally. I am very good at covering up how I feel and maintaining composure on the outside. Yet on the inside I'm screaming. It's actually quite loud in my head, more often than you'd think. More often than I'd like. I long for quiet. Not only in my surroundings, but inside as well. I'm tired of being tired. What will finally be enough motivation for me to put action behind my words and behind my desires? What will it take? How long can I talk about being tired without doing anything about it? It's been said that if you want a different outcome you must do something differently. There's also the famous mantra that it's never too late. But it's uncomfortable. But I'm too tired today. But it won't happen overnight it will take time. But I don't feel like it. But I'm not good enough. But I've never done it before. The poisonous words I tell myself that cripple any type of motion forward. God tells us to keep our eye on the prize. To follow the straight and narrow path. To look on things above and not below. Such simple truths and yet I am still distracted by "things". Realigning my perspective is the key I think. The bigger picture. I guess we'll see. Time will tell. But God, the universe, luck, fate, and all outside forces can't do all the work, right? I've got to do my part right? It all comes back to choices doesn't it? Opportunity knocks, you answer. A door opens, you walk through it. Something must be done about it. You can't just listen to the knocking or stand still and stare at the door. One foot in front of the other. One day at a time. Gotta keep moving.

4 comments:

  1. Oh, my gosh. You seriously took the words out of my mouth!!! This was amazing and seriously right where I am right now. Last night my kids did not let me sleep, so that adds to my "tiredness". But me? I am so tired from always holding in my grief and sadness. I long for the day that I can break down the dam and let the waters flood my very being. I long for the day that I no longer feel guilt for being angry with my mom, furious with my dad, and quite honestly, angry at God. What kind of a God takes away a four year old girl's best friend? I now have a 6 year old who is hurting as deeply as I am and I do not know what to do about it. I cannot handle my own feelings on the topic, how can I handle hers? As a mother, she comes first and the anger and hate that I feel at someone hurting my child is fierce one. The mama bear in me wants to go psycho on whoever is responsible. Is it the drug company? Is it my mom? Is it my dad? In the end isn’t God ultimately responsible for life and death? After feeling these thoughts I feel guilty and blasphemous. How can I call myself a Christian, go to church, sing worship songs, pray with my kids, and help them memorize Bible verses when I have a blazing fire like that within me? I do love God, and ultimately I do trust Him, but I just cannot comprehend why he had to take her. I cannot comprehend why my sweet and loving daughter has to hurt so deeply. Maybe I am just deflecting, maybe this is another self-protective strategy so that I do not have to deal with my own grief, I am not sure. But I do know that at some point the pressure of all of this will break down that dam and I am not sure when it is coming and how much longer I can hold it up. It springs a leak every now and then, and I think it scares Raul because he knows deep down that at some point it is going to give. I am usually pretty good at fixing that leak after a momentary laps of panic, at regaining the control I have at these emotions, thoughts, feelings. But you’re right. Tired is an easy answer. I am tired. I am tired of holding up the pressure of the collapsing dam, tired of my hectic life, tired of the cycles in my marriage, tired of whiney kids, wiping butts, bills, groceries, and all the deep issues that are within me. The mundane of every life might be exhausting but it does not compare to the turmoil within me. I scream inside, too. I bottle it up, too. And sometimes I am just so over it all that I could just puke. Maybe that is why I have a hard time eating. Perhaps it is the cause of my chronic nausea. Sometimes I am so emotionally drained that I just fall asleep on the couch in the middle of the day, I feel like a narcoleptic and that it is uncontrollable. It is way easier to sleep than to continue to suppress everything within me, though sleep is not something that comes easy at night. I do not sleep well, I toss and turn, I look at the clock constantly, yet I could sleep all day. I love the escape from reality, from the constant pressure of the grief within me. Tired. Yes, I could say that I am also so very tired.

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    1. Thanks for you reply, hun. I know you're tired. I know you're holding a lot in. Too much in fact. But fearful for when and how it will come out as well as the fear for when it starts, you won't be able to stop it. It's easier to hold it in. To maintain composure and control. But how unhealthy is it? What does that do to us? We probably don't know the full extent of it. I think the complication of your feelings involving your mother are at the core of your existence. They are confusing and intertwined and complex and it's too much to to deal with to sort through. Probably wouldn't even know where to start. I'm glad we understand each other so well and have such a connection and scarily similar histories. I think maybe God gave us to each other. It's okay for you to feel all these things. It's important to be most real with yourself. Thanks for being so supportive of me. Love you.

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  2. I've been there ... am there sometimes ... and am pretty sure I'll be there again in the future. My only solace is that because I've been here before, I know that I can make it through again. I don't know you, but I'm sending you a prayer for a good night's sleep and a little peace.

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    1. Thank you so much backonland.com. I appreciate it.

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