Portfolio Entry # 15 - I Build Walls

I Build Walls (Poem)

The poem uses “walls” as a metaphor for someone hiding their feelings and thoughts from others and even from themselves.

We can build walls of different physical materials. However, we can build mental walls as a defense mechanism to protect ourselves from painful feelings, not to reveal our fears and because of being afraid of not fitting into society standards. That situation causes social isolation and we can find ourselves in a point of no return because it is arduous to demolish our own barriers.

Because of my personality, I have built several barriers. When I was young, I thought they would shield me from a threatening world. After years of retrospection, I realize that in fact I built a threatening world to justify the building of my mental fences. Nowadays, it is an issue that I am still trying to solve.

Even when I realize that building walls carries isolation and pain, there are times when I need to go to my mental refuge, a place I have always gone when I needed comfort and peace. When life becomes overwhelming, that walls give me a sense of safety and welfare. Besides, I realize that spending time with myself helps me to focus on my strengths and to pluck up courage to face real life problems.