Michonne's Strength

More evidence that I am changed.

Last night when I was watching The Walking Dead (Spoiler alert!), the highlight of the episode was when a character named Michonne revealed that she had a son who died. Michonne has been mostly closed off since she found the group of survivors on the show a couple seasons ago, but when she spoke her truth in last night's episode, a weight seemed to lift for her. I get it. I walk around in this world and strangers have no idea that my daughter died. As time passes, people who do know will forget or act like it never happened because--it seems--that's what we do with pain that isn't our own.

I have no idea how I would have reacted to Michonne's revelation if I had seen it two months ago. I may have been touched, or I may have skipped through the scene because it would be too difficult to think about her dead son. However, I am changed now, so I celebrate this moment with a fictional character who epitomizes strength--first as a skilled fighter and now as a broken mother who has exposed her damaged heart to love and be loved again. Now that's a story.