Bittersweet Betrayal

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According to the dictionary, betrayal is the action of betraying a person or treachery. This generic definition just does not seem to evoke the heart wrenching, stomach-churning emotions that are embedded in betrayal. Whether it is dealt by a parent, a lover, or even a friend; betrayal has a way of debilitating the best of us.

In an ideal world, the people we care about would never do anything to hurt us. Sadly, this isn’t a fairytale world and people aren’t always the prince charming or fairy godmother you think they are. Sometimes, late into the story, after your heart is already invested, you find out that instead of your knight in shining armor, they are the evil wizard.

The revelation is reeling! The person who was supposed to have your back didn’t. And not only did you fall, but you fell onto a knife. The thing is, the deeper the betrayal, the more your whole body feels it. You may feel angry but you feel so sick and nauseous that you don’t really know how to deal with it all. But no matter the size of the betrayal, it still hurts.

It’s time to take action. What do you do? Do you fly off the edge and wreak hell on earth? Are you the cut off type? What about revenge?

The truth is, the most important thing you should ask yourself before you act is, “Is it worth it?” In the heat of the moment, your brain may very well scream out, “YES!” But then maybe you should ask yourself if that is an emotional or logical response. Most times, it’s most definitely an emotional response. That may grant you some relief for a brief period of time, but it doesn’t tend to last long.
Only once you’ve fully processed what has happened, you should decide what the best course of action for you is. You see, how you treat with betrayal, says a lot more about your character than the person who betrayed you. They did their role in your life, but does it have to change the person you are? Your response doesn’t have to be big or dramatic, but it should give you closure. Forgiving is a nice start, not for their sake but for your own peace of mind. But let’s face it, it’s hard to forget. So some bridges need to be burnt, you just have to be prepared to light the match.


~dXd

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