Back to Summer 2021 Newsletter

by Edna Wallace, LMFT

Edna Wallace, LMFT, is a long-time therapist at El Camino Hospital working in the Adult Mood Program for Depression and Anxiety and the OATS program for older adults. She has a private practice in Los Altos. She worked for a decade on the Luncheon Committee for SCV-CAMFT and has been a luncheon presenter as well. Edna is an avid writer in her spare time.

Hunger

Hunger for connection:
to be seen,
to be heard.

Noticed.
Witnessed.
Cherished.

To make contact...
for one minute
(45 seconds)
or half an hour.

The fulfillment.
The completion.

Wanting more...
ongoing.

How much would be enough?
A weekend?
A week?
A month?
You don't know.

What is it you need from these others
(strangers to you just an hour ago)?

Their encouragement.
Their excitement.
Their interest.
Their resonance.

One person's approval,
admiration,
acceptance.
An honest reaction (even annoyance).
Love.

All the feelings that come up
(which are normal to feel).
You're allowed to feel them;
no squelching,
denying,
forgetting.

Just an expanse of space,
quiet, accepting.

A container
to hold it all.
So that you can drink
from the milk
of being human
among humans.