The murmur of the Heart

Introduction: It is high time that the stigma around illnesses, especially mental health concerns vanish. It’s the shame created by the stigma that makes one suffer alone in self-hate. Also, more power to the people who have come forward with their healing stories, you have touched people’s life who see themselves in you.

To me, she has always been this bundle of joy,

Enthusiastic and happy, all the time

Then when I saw myself, bothered

Sad and worried…

Worried about weaknesses

Ashamed of things, not my fault

Or not under control.

Ashamed of this “Murmur in the heart”

My illness...

But one day she opened up,

Talking about her own heart

Still as happy, as confident!

I heard her to the astonishment

How she owns herself

While I, for all these years have

Hidden and run.

Then the layer of shame lifted

All the anguish was not the illness

Instead the stigma and shame

That ruled the head

It is not the murmur of the heart,

To be blamed.

It is the chatter of the mind.