Recovery

Reflections

The first stanza of this short poem captures a raw, instinctive reaction to loss—the urge to retreat. Life feels like “a thousand broken pieces, strewn across the floor.” Our natural impulse is to hide from the world.

The poet writes, “I close the shade and shut the door / And promise myself — no more.” These lines reflect how, in moments of trauma, we often withdraw from relationships, ambitions, and the pleasures of day-to-day life as a way of protecting ourselves from further loss.

In the second stanza, the focus of Recovery shifts to the effect of time. With temporal distance and personal growth, our perspective begins to change. What once felt completely negative is seen much differently. “A decade later, who would have guessed?” the poet wonders.

The events that once seemed devastating led to real growth and greater wisdom, strength, and resilience. “A thousand broken pieces turned out for the best.” What we first perceive as failure or loss may, in the long run, become the foundation for improvement and eventually, increased happiness.

Affirmation

Now, with the passage of time, I see that the events I once perceived as losses or setbacks were, in fact, for my benefit. The pain shaped me. The struggles strengthened me; I became better and happier because of them.