In our life together, we fused as one,
with little distinction of where one ended and the other began.
He was entwined with me, and me with him.
One dreadful day the love in his eyes disappeared,
and in its place was bitterness.
Bitterness toward a world, me included, whom he felt had wronged him.
But I still loved and trusted this man and he was so much now a part of me.
He looked at me and no longer saw the woman he loved,
instead he now saw a woman who disgusted him.
He told me all the things that were wrong with me,
how bad I was, and how unhappy he was in and with me.
And then I died.
How could someone who professed to love me, in whom I trusted
now desire to say things that choked and crushed my very being?
What had I done so badly to deserve this hurt? This punishment ?
What was it that I did so wrong that made him loose control?
Year after year, over and over, I heard all the things that were wrong with me.
No matter how hard I tried to be a better person and to regain his love and trust, I failed.
This failure reinforced what he had brought to my attention -- I wasn't good enough,
I was still a failure.
Now, I've long forgiven him for uttering those harsh words to me,
but I still didn't have that full essence of life I once enjoyed with him.
Although he has since departed this earth,
his words still live in thoughts that come back occasionally to haunt me.
The words still hurt as when first they were uttered.
It's been said over and over that words can't hurt you.
Now, I'm here to tell you some words, more than sticks and stones, cause lasting hurt when spoken by a loved one.
So I pray each day, you stop, and think before you utter unkind words to those you love and those who trust you.
The love and trust placed at your feet brings a huge responsibility to not misuse the trust or abuse their love.
Some words, once uttered can't be taken back, nor forgotten.
The scars can last a lifetime.
"The Masque of Divorce"
Sketch by Michele C. Long