I am seeing a new counselor and today we went over my history. I am 37 years old and things that once were a sharp, painful experience, now seem to be in the distant past. Friends who betrayed me in the second grade, a pain that cut my seven year old heart and even burned when I was seventeen, but one which I could revisit today without much pain.

Even my high school years when I first began to experience symptoms of social anxiety and depression. When I felt rejected by guys and uncertain around every other student I was with. When my confidence first betrayed me. That is also distant past.

What is not so distant is when things happen today that trigger the emotions I felt back then. When a friend misses a phone call or a coffee date and I am brought back to that seven year old self. I am experiencing the hurt all over again, a hurt that never quite healed and is crying out for healing.

I can experience healing today for those distant past wounds. I can experience healing by allowing myself to feel my feelings when I am triggered, show myself compassion, bring it before Jesus and allow him to minister to my hurt soul.

If there is anything I have learned from the highly popular Enneagram, it is that we are all wounded, just in different ways. But we can all experience healing. And then we can experience a beautiful life, here and now, and in the days to come.

That is what I believe, wait for, and hope.

But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
    I wait for God my Savior;
    my God will hear me.

-Micah 7:7

This post is linked up with the Five Minute Friday community. Today’s writing prompt: Distant, inspired by the brand new book Light from Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker. My copy came in the mail today and I can’t wait to read it! I loved his young adult novels The Day the Angels Fell and The Edge of Over There. Light from Distant Stars just jumped to the top of my “Want to Read” list on Goodreads. (Are you on Goodreads? I just started actively using it and I still feel like I’m figuring it out.)

I pray your weekend gives you rest and restoration.

This post contains affiliate links providing me with a nominal commission. I have linked these books because I loved them, not because of the commission. If you do decide to buy something, thank you for supporting me this way.