But that’s what stinks about the parts of us that are broken and hurting. We try our best to keep all the pieces and shards gathered and contained, and we trick ourselves into thinking that they’re not affecting other people.
Eventually, though, our need to feed what is broken starts to overpower everything else, and those hurting places make us careless and reckless. Before we know it–and sometimes after it’s too late–we look around and see that the people we love the most have been wounded in the collateral damage.
This quote really stuck out to me in Chapter 4. And I think this tells me a lot about myself and some of the issues I face today because I came from a broken family. My parents split up when I was six years old and I have felt the ripple effect of that for years to come. That’s the reason The Rink was such a place of refuge for me. That’s when I got to see my dad. On the weekends.
My husband feels it and so do my children. There’s just no way around that type of change. Some people are better at [appearing] to hold themselves together through it all. That’s me.
But after awhile, an unraveling begins to take place that you cannot stop because it’s been piling up for years. It shoots out like a hose, all over those you love. It’s hard to contain once it busts out.
…
Now, I wasn’t a child of 70s, so I couldn’t relate to everything Sophie shared from those years, but I used to watch That 70’s Show and that helped me be able to nod at some things. 😉 Still, a few things did carry over to the 80s, such as the telephone lines being connected and your parents being able to listen in on your conversation using the phone in the other room. Yes, remember phones with cords, and dials?
I love how Sophie’s book invites us to remember these things together! I don’t know about you, but I’m having a blast! Her telling is helping me remember.
Do you ever have people do that? When they talk about something and it reminds you of your own “something”? Isn’t community a gift? Truly.
She mentioned in chapter 5 (her list of activities) that she enjoyed perfecting her royal blue mascara and it reminded me that I used to wear a smokey blue mascara. It almost looked like a chalky color. That stuff was all the rage, though you wouldn’t be catching me wearing that now. In fact, I don’t wear much of any kind of make up now! I rarely have the time to put it on!
If you have read chapter 6, you probably died with [sympathetic] laughter at Sophie’s experience with a tanning bed. I wanted to just reach in the book and give her a hug! Or a pat on the head so I didn’t hurt her! She’s such a brave soul to share such a sensitive part of her life that none of us would have ever known had she not been so bold to share! If you haven’t read it yet, take my word for it and go read it.
What one moment do you remember from growing up that has shaped who you are today?
