Embracing Emotion:
A Journey of Feeling
When Detachment Has Become All Too Common.
Day 53
(Self Portrait Nov 11, 2023).
“This journey has led me to a profound realization: the desire to live in a world that often feels detached from true living”.
Sandra Saenz
Here we stand, on day 53 of an ongoing genocide—a time that tests our resilience, challenges our sanity, and redefines our purpose. Amidst the chaos, I’ve weathered meltdowns and found solace in moments of catharsis.
The desire to help humanity battles against the helplessness of not knowing where to begin or feeling that my efforts fall short. Yet, amidst this chaos, an unexpected revelation unfolds. Through advocating for the freedom of Palestinians, we emancipate ourselves from unseen shackles, revealing the hidden chains that bound us.
In a world where shared burdens linger unspoken, I grapple with the challenge of communicating these overwhelming sentiments.
Days fluctuate between anger, sorrow, and sheer frustration, all intertwined with an immense sense of sorrow for the people of Gaza and for all souls enduring profound pain worldwide.
Uncertain of who will lend an ear or embrace my sentiments, I’ve found comfort and refuge in the art of expression. Through writing and creation, I channel the myriad of emotions that weigh heavily within me. Blogging, writing, and creating art have emerged as unforeseen lifelines—a means to liberate myself and to continue showing up. Suddenly, writing and public speaking (once distant pursuits for me) have now become sacred vessels to articulate my emotions, to voice the unspoken, and to craft messages I long to share with the world.
Here is a poem I wrote, a personal beacon during times when emotions seem to fade. Each time I sense myself slipping into numbness, I revisit these verses as a reminder to embrace my feelings, resisting the creeping normalcy of becoming desensitized.
Echoes of Humanity
To move or not, the burden’s weight,
Excruciating pain, scenes of fate.
A tragic canvas the world beholds,
A shame, inertia’s gripping hold.
It haunts me, sitting in sorrow’s grasp,
Children homeless, hope’s clasp unclasp.
Mothers weeping, fathers fade,
Buildings fall, humanity swayed.
As feelings swirl in this tormenting rhyme,
Uncertain, overwhelmed in this time.
A surplus of empathy, my plight,
Witnessing, embracing this global fight.
Not blind, this plight belongs to all,
Humanity’s cry, an echoing call.
Ethics falter, antics dark,
A shared space, a collective mark.
No more war, a resounding plea,
Senseless anguish, it shouldn’t be.
A ceaseless cycle, hearts in pain,
Sorrowed world, a haunting stain.
To move on beckons, an arduous call,
Yet looking away feels like a fall.
Humanity’s burden, it’s mine to bear,
To care, to act, to show we’re there.
To make a change, to sow hope’s seed,
Extend a hand to those in need.
Forward, onward, gazing high,
Embrace humanity, no goodbye.
For you, my friend, I stand tall,
Together, humanity’s rise, our call.
In love, in unity, our hearts align,
For we’re human, your hopes are mine.
Sandra Saenz