Sharks patrol these waters...

My heart sister and have lengthy discussions about our relationships with other people in our lives, family, friends, co-workers etc.  In some of these discussions, we've talked about some people in our lives that we love and we want to be able to share everything with openheartedly, but we've found that it's just not safe.  These particular people love and care about us as well, but they're not able to love us without a cost. Their style of love sometimes leaves us bleeding. 

My heart sister calls these people sharks and whenever she's tempted to lay herself bare before one, she reminds herself that she's likely to end up bleeding if she does so, regardless of how much she wants things to be different. Regardless of how much she wants them to be able to love her in the way that people need to be loved...in a safe way, with teeth filed down or remaining behind lips; they're not capable of it, their defenses are too well honed to allow it.  I can be a shark sometimes myself and it's taken me a long time to learn how to file my teeth down and keep them behind my lips with people I love and care about, but it's definitely been a lesson worth learning and continuing to practice. 

I'm reminded of this today because my girl Sm's mother got really nasty with her last night and tore her all sorts of new gashes.  Sm is someone who puts her heart on a platter to serve freely to people around her and seems especially vulnerable to sharks.  Especially when they're family.  She's told me a little bit about the fight and how her mothers words hurt her and it made me think about the shark conversations I've had with my heart sister.  Sm's mom is definitely a shark in mom's clothing.  I hate that for her.  

Sharks patrol these waters
Sharks patrol these waters
Don't let your fingers dangle in the water
And don't you worry about the day glow orange life preserver
It won't save you
It won't save you
Swim for the shores just as fast as your able
Swim like a mother fucker, swim!
Fast as that seen ships to now
The ever glorious now the ever present now
Drenched in flower and deep-fat-fried
And cooled on paper towels and then devoured
You know, I spent 15 years in a life raft
15 years in a life raft and now I got something to say
Stay in your life boats people,
Stay in your life boats people.
It's murder out there murder out there
Sharks patrol these waters
Sharks patrol these waters, hey!
Don't you worry about the dayglow orange life preserver
It won't save you
It won't save you
Swim for the shores just as fast as your able, swim!

Artist: Morphine
Song: Sharks
Album: Yes