Broken Places

The world breaks everyone, 

and afterward, 

some are strong at the broken places.

 Ernest Hemingway

We all have broken places. If we have not been broken already, we can count on the fact that our turn will come. It is the Universe's way of making us take ourselves apart and only put back together the parts that are worthwhile.

Ask anyone who has lost their dream and they will tell you that this is how they discovered how little they needed. Fewer things, fewer wrong people, less advice. They were taken apart and they survived.

They were recreated into something better by losing something that they thought they needed. Sometimes it was a limb, an addiction, an abusing person, a house.

They put themselves back together with tears and glue like a broken cherished plate. Not quite the same but stronger for the experience. Reinforced at the wobbly pieces. Put together consciously, with care, showing wear and tear but still better.

Now ask the ones who were not able to reassemble. Ask them if they tried to put together their broken pieces. Ask others why they didn't try. Ask them if we can help.

The beauty of our learning is seeing each other's flaws and appreciating what it took to earn them. (Click to Tweet)