Castles, Warrior Kings, and Queens

If you read my recent post "A strong rope and unmasking" you know that I have a visual, even visceral understanding and experience of personal, cultural, and societal dysfunction. After sitting in on hundreds of meetings with severely wounded (and healing) people I have found the images and emotions deep and profound. Yet another scenario, another story is yearning to get out. Here goes.
Imagine first someone fortunate enough to get off to a good start with a loving family, a safe and pleasant environment, good health, and a sharp mind. Yet even those with the best of beginnings eventually must suffer pain, sickness, loss, and death of loved ones. The fortunate aren't pressed upon too badly, so are able to stay above the strife and woe and live happily. What of the others who suffer greatly, the walking wounded?
Without a viable support system to help them they must bandage up their wounds and carry on. To avoid further injuries both physical and mental, they bind themselves up. Imagine them with boots, leather leggings, padded vests, and thick gloves. Over this goes the armor, head to toe. Some use whatever is available, scrounged from junkyards and garbage heaps, others use the finest steel inlaid with precious metals and stones but a formidable and foreboding barrier none the less. Then comes the shields and weapons, and finally the mask, the more frightening these are the better.
Next we build our protective castles, and at its heart it's most fortified tower, the keep. The castles have tall stone walls, a moat, and drawbridge to keep out invaders. Sentries prowl the walls ever watchful and ready to sound the alarm and fight.
All of these play out in our lives and modern times as well, however hidden the festering wounds, layers of bloody bandages, wrappings, padding, masks, armor and weapons may be, we stand ready to defend or fight. Our castles take on the appearance of grand homes, fancy cars, vacations, and clothes. We seek the best educations, friends, work and societal positions, and partners to bolster our esteem.
Those unable to afford such comforts and luxuries often become bitter and cold, turning to drugs, alcohol, sex, and myriad other addictions to soothe the aching desperation. Workaholics, shopaholics, and entertainment addicts are but a few of the less noticeable manifestations of the silent but pervasive misery.
All is not lost. It is possible to break the don't talk, don't trust, don't feel rules and move from hurting, to healing, and helping. It is possible to find safe and caring people with whom we can be vulnerable enough to begin to lay down our weapons, remove our masks, armor, bindings, and bandages and at last clean and (address) dress the wounds properly. It won't be fast, easy, or painless. In fact it may hurt like all hell, but are strong enough, smart enough, and above all worthy of all the beauty and joy life has to offer.
We may then also swing open the windows, doors, and gates of our kingdoms to let in the light and freshness of the day. And to others, that they may join with us sweeping out the cobwebs and dust of years of neglect and misuse. Our dark, cold, lonely halls and rooms may now come alive with the sounds of song and celebration.
How is this possible? What will it take? Surrender. To a power greater than ourselves. Whether that means taking up with helpful, compassionate communities in the name of greater good and higher law, or turning inward to a personal, loving higher power and presence and working out from there to find like minds, wise and kind companions along this path.
This is our only hope. For if we continue as is, nature, our own selfish nature will spell our doom. It is up to us, and there is no time to lose. We must find ways to find and work with others who understand the situation, the one we share with all other people, all other life, and our dear mother earth itself.