Multiplicity

This piece was written about my experience living with Dissociative Identity Disorder.

“Pick one,”

the world tells me,

lacking any true understanding

of the choices I have

or that it is snatching those from me

by uttering such a command,

fiercely shoving this square peg into its pre-approved round hole.

“Pick one,”

the world tells me,

because people like me-

who really are we-

are: “odd”

misunderstood,

“frightening” to the blissfully ignorant.

"Pick one,"

they say,

because having thirty-something names (and counting)

is far too large a burden to them;

I better keep myselves to myself,

push through alone,

lest I bring shame,

lose relationships.

However

“Embrace all,”

I say,

because all of these parts

are parts of me-

parts that I need,

parts whose concerns I heed,

parts whose loss I would greatly grieve.

“Embrace all,”

I say,

because people like me-

who really are we-

are: courageous,

resilient,

fearfully strong,

(in part) because of

the choices available,

the uniquely beautiful structure and functioning of each of our minds.

And, so,

I pick all,

not one,

forgetting “the world”,

because my first duty is to me…

all of me.