The Wounded Child

from Thich Nhat Hanh’s Your True Home

“When we speak of listening with compassion, we usually think of listening to someone else. But we must also listen to the wounded child inside of us. Sometimes the wounded child in us needs all of our attention. That little child might emerge from the depths of your consciousness and ask for your attention. If you are mindful, you will hear his or her voice calling for help. At that moment, instead of paying attention to whatever is in front of you, go back and tenderly embrace the wounded child.”

We all need to be acknowledged and heard.  It is a basic need.  Most people were not heard as children by the important guardians/caregivers/role models in their lives. To a child, not being heard translates to not being important, not being worthy of love and not being good. When the child grows up he or she feels inadequate and searches for either proof that he or she is worthy, or reinforcement that he or she is not. We all have wounds and it’s important to acknowledge them and to listen.