It takes one to know one.
“It takes one to know one.”
Said she, a mother of 3,
who was like 15 years older than me.
The afternoon sun was warming the pavement —
as I was walking across the street
mindful of my cashews
wading through the traffic
and pondering upon her words.
“If she’s behaving that way, that’s because she’s experienced the same thing.”
Wait — I didn’t get it.
To be honest, I was a little defensive.
I cared for them both —
the young lady
and the mother of 3.
So I didn’t quite get it.
My head hurt, and I blamed the sun for it.
Confused,
I dropped the call,
bought myself cashews,
and fulfilled my afternoon errand.
“She’s probably gone through trauma.”
Her words —
Oh, couldn’t seem to take them in.
The call had ended but her words —
they still rang in my ears.
They kept loudly ringing
so much so that it disturbed me for the rest of that day.
Couldn’t seem to accept
that once again
I was drawn to people
with similar problem patterns.
I paused
thought about my cashews
and slept.
Fast forward 4 years…
I hadn’t heard anything from the mother of 3.
But the young lady —
she was there, distressed.
Grilling some cashews,
she was standing there in front of the kitchen sink,
thinking
and sinking deep into her thoughts.
“I didn’t realize till now that you’ve also experienced trauma.”
A bit surprised, I —
oh, I surprised myself I didn’t deny it.
Instead, the lady’s words hit so hard I immediately opened the oven
and grabbed myself a few nuts.
Ouch!
They were fiery hot.
But I munched and munched
till I hurt my whole mouth.
Didn’t want to speak.
Wanted to benumb myself.
And then the thing dawned on me.
She, the mother of 3,
had said words 4 years ago —
words I thought just pertained to the young lady.
“It takes one to know one,” was what she said.
And now I know…
She, the mother of 3,
saw through
her, the young lady,
and her, saw through
me.
We were one.
In experience.
In past.
In feeling.
And the fact?
To this day it still drives me nuts.
.
.
.
#cashews #cashew #nuts #story #trauma #emotionaltrauma #storyteller #storytelling #veganstorytelling #thestorieswetellourselves #thestorieswetell #thestoriesofchildhood #thestoriesofthosearoundme
