Heartbreak and Dimmed Stars | Argumentation #6

The institution of slavery built the social and economic construct for the United States of America. With its abolishment in 1865 under the thirteenth amendment, came physical freedom. This freedom was not the kill all of all that one would expect, though. As countless ex-slaves had difficult time becoming a part of US society, their perspective on the world around has been mutilated. Sarah Gudger, 121 year old ex-slave, is a big example of that. Stating that the stars don’t shine as bright as they once did, Gudger helps show that with everything that happens to us, good or bad, there will always be a way that it affects the way we see the world. In terms of today, emotional and psychological trauma still impacts people in the same way.

Emotional and psychological trauma is simply defined as moments of high stress or risk that shatter your sense of security. Things like rape, physical assault, abduction, or emotional abuse can cause both a long or short-term paranoia and/or change in the way one lives their life. Contrasting that statement, many people who experience this trauma are able to slowly overcome this feeling, and actively live their lives again with just the memory and scar of what that the event once was. Many people who experience rape or sexual assault can continue to live their lives, but certain aspects of that life will be remembered more than others. Showing that these events can’t really be forgotten, and are unhealthy to block out; not letting it define you, but knowing that it will always be a part of you.

A popular example of emotional trauma is a breakup. In going from thinking that you and that other person will spend the rest of your lives together, to not having anything to do with one another can really take its toll on a person. The world seems to go dark, and someone is left wondering what went wrong or what could’ve gone better. Ultimately you’re left with the choice to block it out of your life, or learn what worked and what didn’t, and grow as a person from that. In doing this, it is apparent that though you may not be the same person, or see things the same way you did, you are still able to move forward and grow.

Pain like this is remarkable and unforgettable. However, you are able to find the light that once shined and move forward with your life. It can take days, weeks, months, even years. Yet, you can over come it. No matter what.

Traumatic events can be so painful and almost unbearable to the point where you may not feel like there’s a way out of it. That said, moving forward from a situation means accepting the change that comes from it, and with that change, ultimately comes growth. I can’t say this as the truth, but though the stars don’t shine as bright for Sarah Gudger, doesn’t mean she didn’t grow into her strongest self from her experiences.