Walls are usually structures erected to enclose or surround property or buildings, from vandalism, encroachment, impositions or to even hide contents, seclude oneself or disallow outside or unwanted intrusion. They are sometimes used to add to the aesthetics of one’s environment, but generally, the foremost idea of, or reason for a wall is to provide a strong sense of protection.
Often the owners go at lengths to ensure that the material used to construct that wall is of the most sturdy type, is firmly entrenched and generally pleasant to look at. The height and width of walls may differ depending on the size of the property, the contents therein and the ability of the owner to adequately fund that wall. Sometimes too there are signs on our walls giving stern warning to would-be intruders or even guard dogs or security guards as added boost
And so in similar fashion, we humans have erected and continue to erect internal walls within us. We have built our walls for a number of reasons. Sometimes the walls we build are emotionally defensive owing to the hurt that we might have accrued overtime, are still nursing and harbouring, Because we are fearful of, or unable to relinquish that hurt, we ensure that our Defense Wall is of its sturdiest material and firmly rooted to avoid being torn down. We fail to allow any semblance of caring near. We may not trust another human easily and may tend to question even random acts of kindness.
In other instances, the walls we build are walls of offence. We might have been wronged in a large way and so erect that Offence Wall to always have the upper hand. Our guard dogs of harshness and sarcasm are always on alert as are our security guards of sharp criticism, meanness and crassness. We will not let in anyone unless thoroughly stripped, even when a human has the credentials of genuine warmth and good intentions. Our brokenness is just too much to allow us to trust.
Ironically, those walls of defence and offence are in reality, broken and fallen walls of security, assurance, humanity and dignity that have overtime felt the effects of life’s weather. Storms of deceit, abuse, failure, internal turmoil, and a host of erratic weather patterns leave us so emotionally and mentally drained, that we become destabilised, shaky, crumble to the touch and lay on the ground in disrepair, disuse and crippled from.
A verse in the bible comes to my mind. Found in Proverbs 25 : 28, it quotes thus:
“He that hath no rule over his own spirit, is like a city that is broken down and without walls.” kjv
“Like a city whose walls are broken through, so is a person who lacks self-control.” niv
This seems to be adding a new dimension to the notion of the walls we humans possess. It appears to be positing that walls can also be means of guarding or containing oneself from self-explosive violent outbursts or unhealthy attitudes or behaviour patterns. In those instances, strong walls of what I like to term “Soul Control,” are necessary to possess. They act as boundaries or barriers to contain or curb the unsavoury aspects of us that may be fuelled by our own internal turmoil or outside influence of other humans who themselves may be lacking in self-control.
So walls in themselves may not or do not have to be bad. We all have them and need them on occasions. But what do we do when our walls fall down? It depends on that wall. Undoubtedly, if that wall was one that should have been to guide our self-control, we are in trouble with ourselves because our “Soul-Control” may be in peril We will therefore need to come to terms with the next best move; that is to reclaim our ground and not remain down to. We will need to be rebuild in order to handle the next assault. If it is a wall of offence, that may auger well, because it may mean that we are willing to entertain the idea of forgiveness, kindness or human dignity. We need not be afraid to forgive or be kind . Doing so may be tedious and time-consuming but in the end our spirits will be free-er and unfettered. If it is the wall of defence it may mean that our trust ropes are not so tightly wound up and we are slowly unravelling to the notion that good humans still exist and that happiness is not so elusive or impossible to acquire. We can forge ahead cautiously yet happily, enjoying ourselves in a whole new way.
Our walls are a part of our development and progress. We have to be aware of our walls are. We owe it to ourselves to determine what to do about the walls we possess. We must know what to do when those walls fall.
Tend to your broken walls and fallen walls!
Garden Conversations with Roze 