Haiku Friday – Choice & Faith

Hello, everyone! Welcome.

I have a friend who is intelligent, kind and beautiful. Despite having these great qualities, among others, she has a low self-esteem. She often berates herself, and she can’t take a compliment to save her life. This saddens me, because her low self-esteem holds her back from achieving certain goals and living a good life. 

Her issues with low self-esteem stems from her childhood. She grew up with a verbally abusive father who called her names like stupid (although she was a straight “A” student), idiot, dimwit . . . whenever she made a mistake as a child. His name-calling escalated to profanity and it would happen for the smallest things, from spilling milk to wrinkling her dress. The silliest things would set him off.

Now she’s an adult, she has a great career, husband, wonderful kids, a beautiful home. She’s made a great life for herself, but whenever she makes the tiniest of mistakes, her father’s voice is in her head calling her names and making her feel like garbage.

I’m happy to say that she’s seeing a therapist for this problem, and she has told me that things are much better. She has no idea how strong she’s been all her life. 

Many people believe that words are just words, but they are so much more. Words have driven many to alcohol, drugs, excessive eating, depression and even suicide. Words have a lasting impact, especially those said to a child. 

Be careful how you talk to others, whether it be your spouse, children, friends, employees or coworkers. Berating someone is no way to teach or communicate. If you speak to someone with kindness, respect and consideration, they’re more apt to listen and comply.

Be smart in the way you communicate with others and yourself, because there are consequences, not only to our actions, but also to the words that come out of our mouths.

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I wrote two haiku today. I decided to use more the feel of the words rather than the actual words. Truth for “Faith”, which is what these haiku portray, and the lack of choice someone with low self-esteem may believe they have.

 

Choice and Faith are this week’s prompt words chosen by Ronovan Hester of Ronovan Writes.

Ron hosts a challenge that anyone could participate in called Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge every Monday, and you have until Sunday to create a post featuring your haiku poem. He is an author and poet and also does author interviews and much more on his blog. Be sure to check it out. Read Ron’s Haiku Prompt Challenge Guidelines for more information.

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You can tell me I

am beautiful but, I will

never believe you.

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If you tell me I

am good for nothing, I will

always believe you.

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