This Will Be Short!

PTSD, just a little jolt this time. Visiting with a friend when I hear a baby cry out. Somewhere deep in my psyche threads of this and that race to find each other and a shiver runs up my spine. I hear the child again. My head tilts. I lose track of my friend's conversation. An ancient place opens up for a moment. Deep dread and a flight or fight response fly out of that opening , grip me around the neck, let go and are drawn back into the ancient place which closes back on itself. Probably 10 seconds have passed from beginning to end. I ask my friend, "Did you hear a baby cry out?" She replied, "You mean the children on the playground equipment?" "Yes", I replied. "The sound triggered me at a deep level." "Oh!", she said and nothing more. It is one of the reasons I treasure our friendship. We both know and experience these moments. The ptsd response ebbed away. Two veterans far removed from the days of war understanding each other, knowing that moments will come and pass and we will just say, "Oh!", meaning I love you and I understand.