Broken
He woke up in the middle of the night and realised what this nagging weight has been in the deep darkness of his spirit – his spirit that has been flying for weeks. He realised that the pain has been there all along and that he was alone. It was a robbery – a highway robbery that had taken from him everything that he would have normally had, everything that for years he had taken for granted.The robber had come into his fortress and taken his wealth of spirit, his breadth of joy, his ease of living, his wallet of fun, his package of smiles and his most prized possession: his ability to love. In exchange, the robber shot into him the desperation to simply be alive, more than adequate measure of pain and the feeling of failure. At every turn, the robber dogged him with taunts of his impending expiration and at every turn he fought the obstacle and struggled to keep his possessions.
At every junction, the robber reminded him that he is alone, that no one noticed his fight, his trudge and at every junction, he had no time to look around whether others fought by his side – he just tried to keep whats his, his sanity, his happiness.
At every crest the robber said, “hark, you lose.” and at Every crest, he triumphed. He jumped over obstacle after the other, through forests and storms and raging rivers and falls. Through thorns and falling rocks and icy snow and dry deserts, he fought battle after battle and won.
And he finally reached the end of the earth – at the white sandy beach abreast of the clear blue sea under the beautiful clear sky and under the comfort of a palm tree swaying in the cool tropical breeze, he slept – exhausted. Now he awoke, dazed, and he realised that the flight was just a dream.
That his companions were no more than figments of his imagination and looking around, he saw his tattered cloths and wounded self and he saw that he was alone. He looked at the sky and saw it was never clear but cloudy and laden with lightening that would soon strike at the core of his heart.
He looked at the sea and saw the storm that was brewing and the tides that would cover him.
He looked around and he could not find shelter, for he could not rise. He knew then, that the robber has won. He was broken. He has lost more than he had.
Despite winning the battles, the soldier knew it at last: he was broken.
And he lay back down and gave in.
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The Kenyan Tenses 
February 20, 2007 at 10:11 am
loved it.
February 20, 2007 at 6:07 pm
I suppose robberies happen, its true, and more is lost than one’s soul. The important thing though is that one rises above the loss and moves on. Birds fall all the time. But again, the spread their wings, shake themselves and take off.
February 21, 2007 at 2:17 pm
“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!”
~Rocky in Rocky Balboa 2006~
February 21, 2007 at 5:36 pm
There comes a time when as much as you try to put your chin up, you know that it’s gone and the only way forward is accepting. Sometimes you just have to give in.
Like the piece a lot.
February 22, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Let them try their best try…you roll with the punches…
February 23, 2007 at 10:52 am
I have discovered that the strength to live a meanigful life is to live from within. Our strength to face this world and face it real good is to live from inside out. If you know who you are and the reason you were put on earth, you will always look on your inside for inspiration to keep keeping on despite the “robberies” that so often engulf us. When the storms of life come, nothing, absolutely nothing will shake you. Because, in knowing who you really are; which is a realisation from within and not without, is the strength to stay standing amidist the raging storms. inspiring piece…
February 23, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Welcome back… its shitty, its life but you made it through the worst and you are coming out of it. Big hug, simply because I have been there and can truly empathise.