I saw an opiate addict in the emergency department who clearly did not love her self.
She was tearful and became frustrated at the mere thought of opening her mouth.
And I won’t lie, it’s irritating when someone replies to every question with “fuck off”.
But I also know it’s hard to know what to say when you feel that broken.
So I silently sat with her for a couple of minutes until she calmed down.
And eventually, she broke out a small “I’m sorry” before she gave me her history.
Patience is fundamentally love. And those that don’t love themselves need it more than others.