You Should Know

You Should Know 

By Annette Camp

April 11, 2024

You should 

know that I 

make mistakes.

I am not

perfect.

I feel grief,

fear, and

even anger.

I've not been 

emotionally 

supported

through life

altering deaths

and painful

unexpected 

change.

I detach and

focus on regret

rather than

solutions. 

I need to work

on emotional

openness and

expression.

I want you to

listen, empathize, 

and be patient. 

Because I am 

not perfect. 

I've been neglected

and exposed to

pure horror,

unstable and

dangerous 

environments,

felt unsafe and

trusted no one.

I take flight.

I freeze and

I fight.

I need to trust,

take risks and

build a secure,

stable life.

I want you to

explore with me

my anxieties. 

Don't walk away.

I'm not perfect. 

I've been around 

volatile people

and have been

violated; physically, 

verbally, sexually

and mentally abused.

My voice has not

always been heard.

Passive aggressiveness 

may rear its head

and I may be unclear

in my communication. 

I need to calmly

speak my truth;

be clear about 

what I really want. 

I want you to ask

what my needs are

and let me feel heard.

You should know

I'm not perfect. 

AND you should know

I'm doing the inner

work to heal.