Today I decided to go for a hike along the Boulder flatirons. I find that nature has a way of sharing subtle messages that encourage me and remind me of where I’m headed. It’s a time for me to think, to regulate and eventually drop from my head down into my heart.
As a followed the trail I encountered a very direct message that I had never seen though I had walked the path before. It was a rusted old sign where another hiker had penned in yellow marker, “No Shame.”
I stood by the sign for a moment, taking in the starkness of the message and pausing to consider what that person may have overcome. It looked like a proclamation, something someone had learned at great expense, after overcoming many obstacles. I resumed my walk, stepping over roots and rocks, taking in the message, inquiring about all of the ways it could apply to me. It was a reminder that this season brings renewal and rebirth in all of nature, and these external symbols speak to an internal reality.
Spring is an opportunity to open up to what is here in this moment, what is new, what is beginning.
Healing from shame is much the same. Whether for children, for parents, or for families, it takes time to heal emotional injuries, and rediscover our inner worth. It takes time for new growth to take place.
This season is a reminder that we do not have to go through life carrying shame, or holding on to the past. In fact, over time, we can learn ways of releasing it. The sign I encountered is a reminder that it is possible to heal from shame and then pass the message on to others.
As we celebrate this season, may you be reminded that in everything you are, there is no shame, only new life and yet-to-be-discovered worthiness.
Written By Lindsay Quella Kara Lam
Licensed Professional Counselor
Therapist at Play Therapy INC.