Castlebar - County Mayo - Broken Spirits

Broken Spirits

Goodness lady!?! What is going on with you today? Is it the lovely sunshine that has brought out the vampire instinct? Not enough shade for you?

Sitting here, watching you behave badly, makes me wonder what makes your life tick over? To watch you snarl at your kids, snap at your partner and demand respect and attention. Your family can not win a battle they are not willing to fight. They know the war is lost even before the battle had started. Why do you join your clan on this lovely clearing, just to turn it into an enemy camp? Was the idea not for you and your family to enjoy a lovely mellow stroll around the park? To watch the swans glide gracefully, calmly across the water? To maybe sit on one of the benches and enjoy a cool drink or a delicious ice cream?

Instead a grown man and two teenagers are marching beside you, stiff and tense. The only thing missing from this picture is them crossing their hands above their heads and you carrying a rifle. But then a rifle would be less harmful. Your eyes and mouth are more lethal than any weapon. A shot would not go as deep and destroy so much inside, as your treatment does.

Who do you think you are? Whatever gives you the right to destroy others? You could do less harm if you would cut them physically, but then the world would see and know what you are! As I sit watching you interact with your family, it becomes obvious that this is not a once off experience for them. They seem too well trained. Maybe if you try harder, you could make them roll over and play dead in tune. “Dad” makes me feel most sad. The despair can be read on his face as you once again unleash an attack on your younger prey. “Dad” wants to help them, lessen the assault, but I think his strength is gone. His battle scars are too deep. He just looks on and hopes for the best. No bruises show, they are all inside.

You don’t even realize how people see you. You might feel great, filled with power.The Grand Lady! We see you as a beast. The lowest of creatures. One who preys on the weak is not strong or anyone to look up to and be proud of. You are not a person to be respected. You are pathetic!

I stand up, walk toward you. I am not weak, not one of your broken spirits. You will not make me roll over and play dead. I know I will not achieve much, but at least the prisoners will be able to stand at ease for a while. I approach you, not being too obvious. We stand a small distance apart. I watch the swans and comment on the lovely weather and the beautiful swans. You respond in a friendly manner. Your face is so much prettier when you smile. I can almost understand why your partner fell in love with you. You chat easily. We smile at each other while you chatter on about everything and yourself. Your prisoners forgotten. They stroll off while I divert your attention. Their escape done with a pretence of carefree movements, but the desperation is visible.

You could be a good person. You could treat your family as you treat me, a total stranger. Am I worth more than your family? Where is your sense of value? You have built an emotional prison for them, and in doing so, you have become a prisoner yourself. You think you can no longer, without great effort, be kind to them. But you are wrong. You have the key to this prison. You can set them free, without leaving them. You once again could become part of the family. Why not allow your nearest and dearest to enjoy you as I, a stranger, could?

Were it not for the fact that I have seen your true face, I can only keep my dislike of you covered for a short time. I can walk away and I know, we could never be friends.