Thank you for sharing this wonderful post today, Brandon. I love your style of storytelling, and I appreciate every time you share something so personal, as I know shedding light on some of the most vulnerable moments of your life can't be easy. It makes me admire you that much more. I wish you, your family, bandmates and loved ones a Happy New Year!! Take care!
Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing this with the world. You are likely right about your parents in that it was also traumatizing for them. Unfortunately, we still live in a world where we have to be our own best advocate and be willing to advocate for those we love to ensure they are getting the best care.
With that said, as someone who has done a lot of reading on intergenerational trauma, attachment theory, epigenetics, and trauma (adults & children), I can tell you that our understanding of those topics has expanded over the years but a lot of progress has been made in just the last 20 years and there is so much more research/information available now.
If this is something you want to learn more about, viewing your experience & your parent’s experience through a different lens, you may really enjoy reading/listening to the following books:
“The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma” by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
“Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help YouFind - and Keep - Love” by Amir Levine and Rachel S.F. Heller (I’m married but still read the book because attachment styles go back to childhood and it is fascinating how important our early years are)
“You Are What Your Grandparents Ate: What You Need To Know About Nutrition, Experience, Epigenetics, and the Origins of Chronic Disease” by Judith Finlayson
“Emotional Inheritance” by Galit Atlas
I listened to most of these via audible so if you need something to listen to on the road, check them out.
I love this so much. In a time where AI is running amuck along with fake facades on social media and filters galore, I wish everyone could just embrace the things that make them unique. We are all just humans floating through space on a rock. We need this reminder, daily.
🎶My past is perilous, but each scar I bear sings🎶. Already powerful lyrics in their own right. Learning the story behind them just makes them even more powerful and emotional. Not gonna lie, hearing about your little self getting hurt so badly nearly brought a tear to my eye! Relieved, however, to know that you recovered and came out of that ordeal just fine.
Little kids are the most precious things. It's no wonder that you made such an impression when you were there in the hospital, especially on that man who was cranky but then bought you that toy elephant! I wouldn't be surprised if he still has moments where he flashes back to you with a little chuckle...this little boy who toddled over to say hello. Makes me think of a time that I was out shopping and passed a guy who was holding his little daughter. She looked at me, smiled, and blew me a kiss. God, they're the sweetest things.
Brandon, you're an incredible, beautiful human inside and out, and those people who bullied you for your scars can shove it! Middle schoolers especially are evil, it's no surprise that nobody enjoys that chapter of their life! On a happier note though, seriously, you're a wonderful person. You're incredibly strong for getting through such a severe injury. Knowing that you can be vulnerable and share the story with us here is something special. Your writing always has a way of getting me to think, reflect on my own experiences, and feel curiosity, empathy, joy, sadness, all of that stuff. I know I was stammering like an awkward teenager when I told you, but when we met in Las Vegas and I said you have a way with words, I sincerely meant it! 🫶
I am so, SO excited for Morning View XXIII and can't stop listening to the new version of "Echo" that you recorded for us in the previous post. I'm taking happy tears, especially during that outro...next time I see you, if you play Echo live I might go wild with joy 🥹 it's one of my favorite songs!! Also excited that you and the guys will be going to Japan in May...日本を楽しみますように！(Nihon o tanoshimimasu yō ni, I hope you enjoy Japan!) May or may not have made pictures of you wearing kimonos after I heard the news because I was so excited.
Love, light, and hugs from the Pacific Northwest as always. Hope that you and Sarah enjoyed the holidays!
When I was three, I was hospitalized for an asthma attack, and the only thing I remember is the yellow teddy bear they gave me. I suppose the teddy bear was my pal just like the pink elephant was yours.
Thank you for sharing this story of your journey healing physically and psychologically from your scars. It’s so sweet how you went around to visit other patients when you were so small!
Middle school aged kids are always and forever saying some fuckshit 😭 (excuse my French). No wonder that’s the time when our most deep-rooted insecurities begin. I understand it’s a time we all need to grow through, but I still petition that we have middle schoolers abolished. I really love the ending here, you are too funny! Always happy to hear from you and learn more about you, Brandon 🤍. Our scars are absolutely what makes us special.
Thanks for sharing this with us Brandon. Wonderfully written and relatable. The anecdote at the end is so powerful, and I'm drawing strength from it today. Her candor in that moment, her invitation to swim... She broke right through the veil.
Living the earlier years of life with a visible different feature definitely takes a toll on your confidence for the rest of it, you get accustomed to it, but it’ll never go away, of course I’m talking from a very personal point of view. I would love to take use of this post to find a way to change things and start breaking mind limitations for good.
OMG Brandon Boyd! Thank you for your story. I usually don't post, just read, but this is a timely communication for me. I'm an academic and trauma specialist, working through grading papers and the misery of others, and supporting the supporters. I had the chance to tell you in London (and the band) that what you do makes a REAL, tangible difference in the world. It does. I'm not sure I was very coherent that day in London (suffered a pretty serious concussion earlier that day), but they didn't hospitalize me and I was at the concert with permission (LOL) on a mission to tell you all how important your work is. The concert was self-care for me. I love and apricate your willingness to share your honest and humble journey for the benefit of others, whether lyrics/poetry, visual art, story, music. They are all so healing. I had shared that day in London that I work with youth in Indian Country. Thanks for the Rez Dogs work too. And my husband is still plugging his way through law school. Be well!
Beautifully written, thank you for this! I am a nurse and spent some time on a burn unit during nursing school. You probably saved that man's life by giving him the motivation to get out of bed.
Thank you for this, it's a good reminder to embrace who we are. I was just having a similar conversation with family a couple of days ago. As a young kid I was very self assured, always forcing an audience, family and friends, to listen to me sing or watch me dance. I had so much confidence, then came middle school. Looking back, I now know that I was pretty young lady, but pre-teen/teenagers can be so cruel. They would say I had cheese hair, cellulite, that I was a big girl because I was taller than the rest. Their comments would weigh one me more and more until I lost all of my self confidence. I am trying so hard as an adult to build that back up, but it is so hard, I am so self conscious. I need to learn to embrace who I am more, reminders like this are fantastic. Thank you!
I vividly remember a girl who I absolutely thought was the coolest make fun of my curly hair right at the age were it seemed to matter the most. I can see it when I close my eyes like I’m the video camera. Crazy how those things etch into your memory. I really like flipping that around and thinking about how it’s a part of what makes me who I am. ❤️🤔
Thank you for sharing this wonderful post today, Brandon. I love your style of storytelling, and I appreciate every time you share something so personal, as I know shedding light on some of the most vulnerable moments of your life can't be easy. It makes me admire you that much more. I wish you, your family, bandmates and loved ones a Happy New Year!! Take care!
Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing this with the world. You are likely right about your parents in that it was also traumatizing for them. Unfortunately, we still live in a world where we have to be our own best advocate and be willing to advocate for those we love to ensure they are getting the best care.
With that said, as someone who has done a lot of reading on intergenerational trauma, attachment theory, epigenetics, and trauma (adults & children), I can tell you that our understanding of those topics has expanded over the years but a lot of progress has been made in just the last 20 years and there is so much more research/information available now.
If this is something you want to learn more about, viewing your experience & your parent’s experience through a different lens, you may really enjoy reading/listening to the following books:
“The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma” by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
“Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help YouFind - and Keep - Love” by Amir Levine and Rachel S.F. Heller (I’m married but still read the book because attachment styles go back to childhood and it is fascinating how important our early years are)
“You Are What Your Grandparents Ate: What You Need To Know About Nutrition, Experience, Epigenetics, and the Origins of Chronic Disease” by Judith Finlayson
“Emotional Inheritance” by Galit Atlas
I listened to most of these via audible so if you need something to listen to on the road, check them out.
I guarantee that man remembers you, what a sweet story, kids are truly one of the last beautiful things on the planet! Happy holidays! Xoxo
I love this so much. In a time where AI is running amuck along with fake facades on social media and filters galore, I wish everyone could just embrace the things that make them unique. We are all just humans floating through space on a rock. We need this reminder, daily.
🎶My past is perilous, but each scar I bear sings🎶. Already powerful lyrics in their own right. Learning the story behind them just makes them even more powerful and emotional. Not gonna lie, hearing about your little self getting hurt so badly nearly brought a tear to my eye! Relieved, however, to know that you recovered and came out of that ordeal just fine.
Little kids are the most precious things. It's no wonder that you made such an impression when you were there in the hospital, especially on that man who was cranky but then bought you that toy elephant! I wouldn't be surprised if he still has moments where he flashes back to you with a little chuckle...this little boy who toddled over to say hello. Makes me think of a time that I was out shopping and passed a guy who was holding his little daughter. She looked at me, smiled, and blew me a kiss. God, they're the sweetest things.
Brandon, you're an incredible, beautiful human inside and out, and those people who bullied you for your scars can shove it! Middle schoolers especially are evil, it's no surprise that nobody enjoys that chapter of their life! On a happier note though, seriously, you're a wonderful person. You're incredibly strong for getting through such a severe injury. Knowing that you can be vulnerable and share the story with us here is something special. Your writing always has a way of getting me to think, reflect on my own experiences, and feel curiosity, empathy, joy, sadness, all of that stuff. I know I was stammering like an awkward teenager when I told you, but when we met in Las Vegas and I said you have a way with words, I sincerely meant it! 🫶
I am so, SO excited for Morning View XXIII and can't stop listening to the new version of "Echo" that you recorded for us in the previous post. I'm taking happy tears, especially during that outro...next time I see you, if you play Echo live I might go wild with joy 🥹 it's one of my favorite songs!! Also excited that you and the guys will be going to Japan in May...日本を楽しみますように！(Nihon o tanoshimimasu yō ni, I hope you enjoy Japan!) May or may not have made pictures of you wearing kimonos after I heard the news because I was so excited.
Love, light, and hugs from the Pacific Northwest as always. Hope that you and Sarah enjoyed the holidays!
When I was three, I was hospitalized for an asthma attack, and the only thing I remember is the yellow teddy bear they gave me. I suppose the teddy bear was my pal just like the pink elephant was yours.
Thank you for sharing this story of your journey healing physically and psychologically from your scars. It’s so sweet how you went around to visit other patients when you were so small!
“Pain heals, chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever.” Beautifully written.
The only thing you remember from this time is your plush elephant.. he really was a little life-changing friend. 🩷
Middle school aged kids are always and forever saying some fuckshit 😭 (excuse my French). No wonder that’s the time when our most deep-rooted insecurities begin. I understand it’s a time we all need to grow through, but I still petition that we have middle schoolers abolished. I really love the ending here, you are too funny! Always happy to hear from you and learn more about you, Brandon 🤍. Our scars are absolutely what makes us special.
Thanks for sharing this with us Brandon. Wonderfully written and relatable. The anecdote at the end is so powerful, and I'm drawing strength from it today. Her candor in that moment, her invitation to swim... She broke right through the veil.
Living the earlier years of life with a visible different feature definitely takes a toll on your confidence for the rest of it, you get accustomed to it, but it’ll never go away, of course I’m talking from a very personal point of view. I would love to take use of this post to find a way to change things and start breaking mind limitations for good.
Cheers Brandon.
OMG Brandon Boyd! Thank you for your story. I usually don't post, just read, but this is a timely communication for me. I'm an academic and trauma specialist, working through grading papers and the misery of others, and supporting the supporters. I had the chance to tell you in London (and the band) that what you do makes a REAL, tangible difference in the world. It does. I'm not sure I was very coherent that day in London (suffered a pretty serious concussion earlier that day), but they didn't hospitalize me and I was at the concert with permission (LOL) on a mission to tell you all how important your work is. The concert was self-care for me. I love and apricate your willingness to share your honest and humble journey for the benefit of others, whether lyrics/poetry, visual art, story, music. They are all so healing. I had shared that day in London that I work with youth in Indian Country. Thanks for the Rez Dogs work too. And my husband is still plugging his way through law school. Be well!
Oh, that ending though!😂. It needs a little bah-dum-dum 🥁 🥁 🥁
Beautifully written, thank you for this! I am a nurse and spent some time on a burn unit during nursing school. You probably saved that man's life by giving him the motivation to get out of bed.
Thank you for this, it's a good reminder to embrace who we are. I was just having a similar conversation with family a couple of days ago. As a young kid I was very self assured, always forcing an audience, family and friends, to listen to me sing or watch me dance. I had so much confidence, then came middle school. Looking back, I now know that I was pretty young lady, but pre-teen/teenagers can be so cruel. They would say I had cheese hair, cellulite, that I was a big girl because I was taller than the rest. Their comments would weigh one me more and more until I lost all of my self confidence. I am trying so hard as an adult to build that back up, but it is so hard, I am so self conscious. I need to learn to embrace who I am more, reminders like this are fantastic. Thank you!
I vividly remember a girl who I absolutely thought was the coolest make fun of my curly hair right at the age were it seemed to matter the most. I can see it when I close my eyes like I’m the video camera. Crazy how those things etch into your memory. I really like flipping that around and thinking about how it’s a part of what makes me who I am. ❤️🤔