Damage, Harm, Guilt

We all go through life like bulls in a china shop: a chip here, a crack there… doing damage to ourselves, to other people.

The problem is trying to figure out how to control the damage that’s been done, or the damage that’s been done to us.

Sometimes the damage catches us by surprise...

Sometimes we think we can fix the damage...

And sometimes, the damage is something we can’t even see.

We’re all damaged it seems, some of us more than others. We carry the damage with us from childhood, then, as grown-ups: we give as good as we get.

Ultimately, we all do damage, and then, we set about the business of fixing it... whatever we can, because “First, do no harm.”

Doctors pledge by this oath. But the truth is, harm happens, and not only from doctors, from everyone. Harm is then followed by guilt, and when guilt happens – there’s no oath on how to deal with that.

Guilt never goes anywhere on its own, it brings its friends: doubt and insecurity. “First, do no harm”, easier said than done.

We can take all the oaths in the world, but the fact is – most of us do harm all the time. Sometimes, even when we’re trying to help, we do more harm than good. And then... guilt rears it’s ugly head.

What you do with that guilt is up to you.

We are left with a choice: with can let the guilt throw us back into the behavior that got us into trouble in the first place, or… learn from the guilt – and do our best to move on.