Broken and beautiful

A year before he died, Johnny Cash recorded a version of the Nine Inch Nails song “Hurt.” I listened to this song yesterday. Twice. It brought me closer to tears than I’ve been in a dry while.

Power

No one has power to ruin my life. Am I ruined? Then I ruined myself. This is the realization that allowed Socrates to say, “You can kill me but you cannot hurt me.”

Owning it

Disappointment, resentment, frustration—these are personal failings. They originate with me; I sustain them. I am responsible for me. If I am hurt, I hurt myself. If I am helped, I help myself.