Words are tricky

I love listening to spoken words poets such as Shane Koyczan, this is the link to his poem ‘More often than sometimes’. I enjoy their ability so speak without tripping over their words, something I’ve never quite mastered. I’ve never let it worry me much mind you; I’ve spoken at conferences and co-present on communication and teamwork as part of my job.

More importantly, I admire their capacity to talk openly about hard stuff in beautiful ways. One of the things I realised as part of the mental health work I’ve done post-weight loss surgery, is there are so many things I just can’t talk about. Things I won’t say. Words I have smothered with food.

In the last 2 1/2 years I’ve found ways to say some of it, either in writing (in its many forms) or whispered quietly, as though turning down the volume lessens the feelings of shame. Shame … one of the feelings often at the heart of food addiction like mine.

Words are tricky – my art journals allow me to pour out my feels in pictures and paint, leaving those tricky, slippery words aside for another day.

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