Splintered on the Inside

Splintered

During a hike in Colorado recently, I noticed a splintered and shattered Ponderosa Pine. It reminded me of the story I entered in the Writer’s Digest’s Annual Competition several years ago. Splintered and Shattered on the Inside was a selection from my Young Adult historical novel, No Easy Choice. That story selection won 9th place in the competition that year, which is rather amazing, actually.

Lately, I’ve thought of all the splintered and shattered people in our world today. They may put up a really good outward appearance, so as not to let on how broken they are. We may not see their splinters, and think everything is fine. But it isn’t.

I read somewhere that people with chronic illnesses aren’t faking feeling bad. They’re faking feeling good, As someone with multiple chronic illnesses, I so get that. And I believe it extends to those around us who are splintered and shattered on the inside. They’re faking feeling good.

Perhaps that is you in this season of life. If so, I’d like to share a portion of Splintered and Shattered on the Inside with you.

A Little Like the Willow

Mama motioned me back to the couch. “Lord knows every one of us has good and bad that comes our way. Every one of us. No exceptions. The thing that makes us the people we are is how we choose to handle the things life throws at us.”

She paused and looked at me long and hard before going any further. “You ever watch the willows when the wind picks up?”

I nodded.

“What do those trees do when they get hit by a hard wind?”

“They bend,” I replied. Not quite sure what we were talking about trees for.

A Little Like the Oak

“You ever watch the oaks when a powerful gust batters them?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“What do those trees do?”

“Nothing.” I thought on that a bit. “Well, if the wind’s been mighty powerful, some of the limbs might crack. Or break off.”

Mama nodded. “Folks can be a little like the willow, and a little like the oak. When bad things hit ’em, folks have two choices. They can bend their branches until the wind stops whupping up on them. Or they can be hard and immovable, and end up shattered to pieces. Which tree you think Jasper is?”

I stared off into the fire and cogitated long and hard before I answered. Mama was right. Everybody gets whupped by bad things. It’s how folks handle those hard times that makes the difference. “Reckon Jasper’s acting like an oak. He doesn’t seem to be bending none. Just seems to be fighting against the whole world.”

Splintered and Shattered on the Inside

“You remember that old oak back of the house? The one that got hit by the awful storm a few years ago?” Mama asked.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“What happened to that tree?”

“It got all splintered and busted up.”

She tapped her finger against my arm. “Uh-huh. Once that tree split wide open, you could see its inner brokenness. There’s folks walking around every day splintered and shattered on the inside. You can’t see how bad they’re hurting ’cause their hurt’s hid away. Inside. Outside. Doesn’t matter a bit. Folks get tattered and torn by the winds of life just the same.”

Mama worried with her gold wedding band. She twisted it one way and the other before she continued. “Some folks bend, shatter. Some hurt on the inside, some on the outside. Maybe what Jasper needs is a good friend.”

Your Turn

Many recent life-events have whupped up on a lot of folks, leaving them splintered and shattered on the inside.

As Howard’s Mama said, “There’s folks walking around every day splintered and shattered on the inside. You can’t see how bad they’re hurting ’cause their hurt’s hid away. Inside. Outside. Doesn’t matter a bit. Folks get tattered and torn by the winds of life just the same. Some folks bend, some shatter. Some hurt on the inside, some on the outside.”

Depending on our circumstances, some of us bend like the willow. Some of us break like the oak. Either way, what we all need is a good friend when the winds start beating up on us.

Many of us who are fortunate to have people in our lives who are closer than a brother. Friends who walk through our storms with us. But not everyone is as fortunate.

Regardless of whether we have such a friend or not, each of us who claims Jesus as our Savior has his promise to never leave or forsake us. He walks with us not only through our joyous seasons, but through all our difficult seasons as well.

Splintered and shattered? If so, please know this. Wherever you may find yourself in this moment in time, Jesus sees you. He cares for you. He loves you. And he is for you.

I wish you well.

Sandy

Some photos courtesy Pixabay.

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