“Don’t fight your demons. Your demons are here to teach you lessons. Sit down with your demons and have a drink and chat and learn their names and talk about the burns on their fingers and the scratches on their ankles. Some of them are very nice.”
– Charles Bukowski
I know my demons. I know their names and their burns and their odd smiles. I know their fears and their dreams and the wild ideas chasing them out of the dark. They used to frighten me with their bold words and hard truths.
But not anymore.
I see them better. I’ve put my arm around their shoulders and embraced them and let them know that I think they’re ok. They aren’t so scary up close. They just want to be loved and touched and seen. LIke the rest of us. And, their middle is soft and usually kind and sometimes unusually kind. And brave, too. The burns on their fingers and the scratches on their ankles have made them wary, but once we know their stories, we fall a little in-love with them. They are colorful creatures with gifts and tools and aren’t mean or cruel. They are complicated and quite simple. And, they are useful. They paint and build and create honest love and honest art and maybe these words. I can tell which ones are theirs and sometimes they’re my favorites.
With a big, dopey dog staring at me and not-my-cat on my bed, I think and feel and write before sunrise. I listen to music and hear the scars of demons in the notes. And, I’m grateful. Angels get a lot of credit for beautiful things. But, demons may just be angels wearing different clothes.
In fact, I might often prefer the company of demons. They are a little unkempt, but honest in their disheveled confusions. They swear a lot, which I’ve read is a sign of intelligence. And, I don’t mind cuss words. They are loyal and courageous, even if scared, and some of them really are very nice. They may look a little rough and shine differently, but many things I love do, too. Being a little rough and shining differently is no crime at all. It might actually be an answer. I like to think so.
Photo credit: Robin Malmanger
Dave Markwell is a life-long Des Moines liver and lover. Former owner of Waterland CrossFit and the Waterland Arcade, Dave uses his unique story-telling voice to help small businesses tell a better story, and his love for people to help folks live bigger and better lives.
For more info, check out his website: wordsbydave.net
